ABSTRACT
The leaders of Malaysia are striving to create a capital city, Kuala Lumpur, that is a competitive “world city.” The combination of national politics and ambition with the forces and finances of the global economy have drastically changed the city from a sleepy mining town into a thriving modern city. In the last two decades, Kuala Lumpur has been the site of industrialization, huge foreign capital investment, mega-projects, and a relatively high level of regional migration. This rapid transformation, coupled with high economic growth rates, has created a new middle class and led to a decline in poverty.
