05 December 2023 , 15:31
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What was sold as an eco-friendly metropolis turned into a ghost town that ex-residents were afraid to return to.
Forest City was built in Johor, on the southern tip of Malaysia, back in 2016 under China's Belt and Road Initiative. This was a sweeping £78billion global infrastructure programme by the Chinese government to invest huge amounts of money into the building projects.
Amongst those who moved into the city was Nazmi Hanafiah, a 30-year-old IT engineer, The BBC reported. He rented a one-bedroom in a tower block overlooking the sea. But what should’ve been a dream move, quickly became a nightmare and within just six months Nazmi wanted out.
Some of the shops inside the Forest City mall which have shut down (AFP via Getty Images)The BBC reported he said: "I managed to escape this place,". He described it as a “ghost town” and said things were so bad he didn’t care about his deposit or any money, he just “had to get out”. He described getting "goosebumps" just being back and said it was a lonely place to have lived.
Country Garden, China’s largest property developer, built the city at a time the nation was experiencing a property boom home and abroad. Forest City was supposed to be a part of this, and eventually home to nearly one million people. But eight years on, only 15 per cent of the project has been reportedly been completed and some estimates claim as little as one per cent of it is even occupied.
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One lone man sits in the hallway in the empty shopping centre (AFP via Getty Images)Despite this, Country Garden told the BBC it remains "optimistic" the plan will be completed still. Most ordinary Malaysians couldn’t afford a home there, but could rent one from the Chinese buyers shelling out for a second home - just as Nazmi did.
However, the reality of Forest City was miles away from the marketing image that was sold. It was built on a reclaimed island miles from the nearest major city. This earned it the isolated nickname "Ghost City". Nazmi described having "high expectations" for Forest City, but said in reality it was "creepy" and that there was nothing to do there.
The condos of Forest City, overlooking the sea (AFP via Getty Images)On a deserted beach there, a sign by the water warns of not swimming in the sea because of crocodiles. Along the sand, a disused children’s playground and rusting vintage car could be seen. Inside what was planned to be a thriving shopping centre, many shops and restaurants are closed and some units remain vacant construction sites.
However, eerily, an empty children’s train loops the mall endlessly playing ‘heads, shoulders, knees and toes’ in Chinese. Next door to the ageing, part-empty mall is Country Garden’s showroom showcasing a huge model of what the city should look like. A couple of employees remain on post with a sign above them: 'Forest City: Where Happiness Never Ends'.
One man who lived there described not being able to get out quick enough (AFP via Getty Images)But the biggest draw of the city remains its duty-free status - providing an attractive haven for some. One current resident told The BBC the place was "eerie" and somehow often seemed dark during the day.