#emptycities

I’ve been driving around Klang Valley a lot lately, and it’s hard not to notice just how many buildings there are now. Everywhere you turn—Mont Kiara, Cheras, even places like Sentul—you’ll see high-rise condominiums, half-finished commercial towers, or giant banners showing digital mockups of “luxury urban living” with rooftop pools and skyline views.

But do you know what is strange?

Many of the buildings are dark at night. No lights are on. There are no signs of life.

It made me wonder: who are we building all this for?

I'm not a property developer or an economist, but something about this circumstance doesn't feel right. We keep building—constantly—but I also keep hearing people say they can’t afford a home. Young couples. Single parents. Even folks with decent jobs. It’s like there’s a disconnect between what’s being developed and what people actually need.

I once visited a friend who was staying in a low-cost flat with her aging parents. She pointed to a glitzy new condo across the street and said, “That one’s selling for RM800,000. We’ve been trying to move for years, but that’s just not for people like us.”

It hit me.

We’re not short on buildings. We’re short on homes that people can realistically live in.

And yet developers keep going. Another tower. Another project. Another showroom with scale models and tiny plastic trees. It’s as if the goal is no longer to serve people—but to impress investors.

I sometimes ask myself: is this really the best use of our land?

Are we maximising it, or are we just packaging it into overpriced boxes for someone else to flip?

When I walk past those showrooms, it’s hard not to feel like a stranger in my own city. The brochures are in English and Mandarin. And I wonder—is this place really being built for us?

We say we want a vibrant, inclusive city. But it’s hard to feel included when you’re priced out before you even begin.

I know there are government housing initiatives like Rumah Selangorku or RUMAWIP. And yes, they help. But let’s be honest—it’s not enough. The demand far outweighs the supply, and by the time people finally qualify or get allocated a unit, prices have shifted again.

Meanwhile, the luxury condos keep rising.

It’s Not Just About Property—It’s About Priorities

This isn’t just a rant about unaffordable housing.

It’s about what kind of society we’re building.

We talk a lot about development. But who are we developing for? Do we want cities filled with empty units and inflated prices, or do we want streets filled with actual lives, actual communities?

I think about my future sometimes. Not just mine, but my friends’, my colleagues’, the younger generation who’s still working hard, hoping for a stable place to build their lives. It’s discouraging when everything feels stacked against them.

I’m not against progress.