World's Second Tallest Tower Tests Malaysia’s Appetite for Skyscrapers
Also today: Rome's famous fountain may start charging an entry fee, and Australia gives workers the 'right to disconnect.'
For decades, Kuala Lumpur's abundance of supertall buildings was a source of national pride for Malaysia’s leaders. But as the city prepares to open its newest tower — the world’s second tallest, after Dubai’s Burj Khalifa — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is questioning the need for more skyscrapers.
The new Merdeka 118 tower rises 2,227 feet into the sky, in a city where many offices and homes sit empty, and where government-linked developers continue to build despite diminishing returns from real estate. Read more from Anders Melin and Joy Lee today on CityLab: World's Second Tallest Tower Spurs Debate About Who Needs It