The Forest City project in Johor, widely described as a "ghost town," is celebrating its seventh anniversary in Malaysia.
Forest City's seventh anniversary represents a significant milestone in the development of sustainable and thriving communities, said Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGPV).
CGPV is a master developer and real estate joint venture between Esplanade Danga 88 Sdn Bhd and Country Garden Holdings Co Ltd . Esplanade Danga 88, an associate company of Kumpulan Prasarana Kerajaan Johor, owns 40 per cent of CGPV while the remaining 60 per cent is owned by Guangdong-based Country Garden.
Forest City, located two kilometres (KM) from Singapore and near the state government administration hub and the Iskandar Malaysia economic zone, started seven years ago with the goal of creating a smart and green futuristic metropolis.
It encompasses 30 square kilometres with a total constructed area of around four million square metres, CGPV said in a statement.
Forest City's goal is to construct an eco-friendly metropolis capable of housing hundreds of thousands of people while seamlessly integrating industry and city life, exhibiting the ideal marriage of the modern city and environment.
It is currently home to Legacy Golf Course and Classic Golf Course, both 18-hole international-standard courses. The two golf courses are complemented by the five-star Golf Hotel and the Marina Hotel.
The developer built the Second Link, which connects Singapore, as well as shuttle buses for residents to reach shopping areas and make it easier for tourists.
Forest City is expected to be completed by 2035.
The development's overall investment reportedly exceeds RM20 billion.
There had been numerous reports claiming that the mega project had failed, including a YouTube channel that classified it as "the second most useless mega project in the world".
There are about 6,000 people living in the development area, including house owners and business tenants.
In an April statement to the New Straits Times, CGPV said that residential units in Forest City are being rented out to factories in the Gelang Patah area to be used as employees' hostels.
The company also said that it has been setting the groundwork for development for seven years and that there are many more activities and pipeline projects in the works.