PM: Completion of Merdeka 118 tower spire, the world's second-tallest building, a 'proud moment'

KUALA LUMPUR: The Merdeka 118 tower has achieved another milestone following the completion of its tower spire.

The tower, which reaches a height of 678.9m, is the second-tallest building in the world after Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the tallest in South-East Asia when completed.

In his opening speech, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that he was proud of the completion of the tower spire amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Merdeka 118 will also be the first tower in Malaysia that has earned a triple platinum rating with international sustainability certifications including the highly prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (Leed).

"This is not only a great achievement in the field of engineering, but also further strengthens Malaysia's position as a modern and developed country," he said at the spire completion ceremony on Tuesday (Nov 30).

PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd (PMVSB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), is developing the project.

The tower covers over three million sq ft of floor area, comprising 1.66 million sq ft of net lettable area (NLA) of Grade-A office space and approximately 1 million sq ft of retail space.

A number of outstanding features have been incorporated into the tower, including "The View at 118" observation deck, which will be the highest in South-East Asia, as well as the glass-domed 118 mall within the podium of the tower.

Other components of the Merdeka 118 precinct include the Merdeka Textile Museum, showcasing Malay-world textiles; Little M, a childcare centre for children below seven years old; and Masjid Merdeka, a mosque that can accommodate up to 3,000 people.

The tower overlooks two national historical landmarks – Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara.

It will be listed along with some of the world's tallest buildings like Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE, the world's tallest tower with a height of 828m, and the Shanghai Tower in China, with a height of 632m.

Earlier, PNB group chairman Tun Arifin Zakaria said the spire completion represents a significant step forward to develop Merdeka 118 development project.

"The development project is hoped to stimulate the nation's socio-economic recovery from the impact of Covid-19," he said.