25/08/2025
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
Kuala Lumpur International Airport is about 55โ60 kilometers from the city center, but getting to the city center is surprisingly convenient. We took the train and in just around 45 minutes, we were already at KL Sentral.
I remember strolling through Kuala Lumpurโs business district at night about five years ago and already finding it impressive. Coming back now, itโs even more striking to see how much Malaysia has advanced over the past few decades - not only in KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Centre) but also in Putrajaya, the carefully planned seat of the federal government.
KLCC may not be as massive or as integrated as Singaporeโs Marina Bay Sands - which even doubles as a flood-control centerpiece for the cityโs urban development - but it still stands out in its own right. What makes KLCC impressive is that it was comprehensively master-planned and backed by the government from the start, bringing together commercial towers, luxury residences, retail malls, and recreational spaces in one cohesive district.
This kind of deliberate planning is what we also see in other Southeast Asian hubs:
โ๏ธ Marina Bay Sands, Singapore โ iconic and globally recognized.
โ๏ธ Vinhomes Central Park, Vietnam โ with its Landmark 81 - skyscraper.
โ๏ธ Sudirman Central Business District, Indonesia โ Jakartaโs modern financial hub.
โ๏ธ Xinyi District, Taiwan (not southeast asia) โ anchored by Taipei 101.
Each of these developments has an iconic tower or landmark that acts as the global brand of its city.
In contrast, Metro Manila feels fragmented. Development and landmark projects are spread out across different areas - Makati, BGC, Ortigas, and othersโ -without one central anchor. In addition, Manila continues to struggle with traffic congestion, disjointed urban planning, and limited inter-district connectivity. Thereโs no single iconic landmark that represents the Philippinesโ economic rise. Instead, EDSA is what most people think of - unfortunately, for its traffic jams.
KLCC, on the other hand, was built with infrastructure in mind from day one. It has integrated public transport links (LRT, MRT, KTM, KLIA Express, and Monorail), a network of skybridges and pedestrian tunnels for easy and weather-protected movement, plus a beautiful public space right at its heart - KLCC Park. Utilities are mostly hidden underground, which keeps the streets clean and uncluttered.
During our visit, I noticed large groups of Indian tourists taking photos in front of the Petronas Towers. It turns out Malaysia has been actively targeting Indian visitors with visa-free entry, promoting luxury shopping, family travel, and even wedding tourism.
Walking through KLCC, I couldnโt help but feel a mix of admiration - and honestly, a bit of envy. Seeing how well-coordinated, future-ready, and attractive Malaysiaโs urban development has become makes me wonder what Manila could have looked like today if similar vision and planning were applied decades ago.
