KUALA LUMPUR: The preconceived notion of being "underdeveloped, lagging, and considered a third-world country" may persist in the minds of travellers, particularly those from different continents who have not yet experienced Kuala Lumpur firsthand.
However, the perception of Malaysia's development was proven to be inaccurate when a content creator from the United States, known only as Lilith, set foot in Kuala Lumpur and admitted to being surprised to see many towering skyscrapers in the capital.
"Seeing the Petronas Twin Towers for the first time, I thought they were huge! I don't know if I've ever seen something so tall before. I also love the skyline in Kuala Lumpur; it is so different from any other country that I have seen in terms of the number of towers," shared the 26-year-old girl from Arizona.
Lilith, through her TikTok and Instagram account @Lilithinkl, enjoys sharing about the attractions in Kuala Lumpur, including the uniqueness of the skyscrapers. Currently, three of them – Merdeka 118, The Exchange 106, and the Petronas Twin Towers – are listed among the 100 tallest skyscrapers in the world.
Her videos showcasing the ambience around Bukit Bintang also caught the attention of netizens, with nearly 150,000 likes on average. Comments generally supported her opinion that Malaysia's buildings are not inferior to those in developed countries.
It is estimated that there are 279 skyscrapers in Malaysia, with 210 of them exceeding a height of 150 metres, 63 surpassing 200 metres, and six transcending 300 metres. A total of 241 of these skyscrapers are located in Kuala Lumpur, while the rest are in Selangor and Putrajaya.
This information was revealed by urban planning activist Mohamad Afiq Daniel via his social media account @slainthayer earlier this month. He also shared that this number exceeds the total count of skyscrapers in the entire continents of Europe and Russia.
When contacted by Bernama, Mohamad Afiq explained that the information was sourced from the official website of the international non-profit organisation Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which lists information about skyscrapers worldwide.
From this information, he then analysed it by city and country and made comparisons.
"I am impressed because I did not expect Kuala Lumpur to have so many skyscrapers. It shows the economic strength of the capital. It also reflects how advanced Kuala Lumpur is and serves as a testament to the country's development," he said.
"Skyscrapers have advantages in terms of space and contribute to the economy and national income, where property taxes are also higher. When Kuala Lumpur has many skyscrapers, it can contribute to a larger development budget," said the property analyst.
Dr S Gobi Krishna, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, said that skyscrapers have become an attractive identity for both domestic and international tourists due to their architectural uniqueness, thereby contributing to the economic sector.
"In the context of urban planning, skyscrapers create a skyline or a fascinating view of buildings in terms of height and architectural design.
"When viewed in the context of development in Western countries, most skyscrapers develop rapidly in Asia due to space constraints in urban areas and the preservation of high-value historical buildings," he said.
He added that skyscrapers also demonstrate the strength of the country's infrastructure in terms of technology and engineering, making them attractive to investors to invest in the country.
However, Gobi Krishna also mentioned the potential for the overhang of skyscraper space if not used optimally, which can cause losses. -- BERNAMA