K M Cheng-Travel Journal

" The journey from foreign occupation to independence is a profound historical process that has shaped the modern world map "

After a visit to Merdeka Maybank Tower / 118 Mall, Kuala Lumpur City Centre on Nov 2 2026, it is comforting to note that Malaysia, my home country though a young nation, has over a span of 70 years, transitioned from a low income, commodity-dependent colony into a upper middle income & industrializing modern nation. From attap houses to building skyscrapers, Malaysia has come a long way !

I was born during the post World War 11 & pre-Merdeka era hence I had lived up over the last 70 years to tell a story about "Merdeka" from my childhood days to now a senior citizen. The history lesson I learned during my primary & secondary schooling years gave me a good insight of the colonial past & the chronicle of events that followed which led to Malaya achieving her Merdeka (Independence) on Aug 31 1957 (I was then a 7 year old kampung boy living in a coastal town of southern Johor) from the British ! Every story has a beginning .... here goes my story of "Merdeka" ......

1400 > 1511 - The Malacca Sultanate
1511 > 1941 - The Colonial Period (Portuguese, Dutch, British & Japanese)
1786 - Francis Light occupied Penang for British India
1819 - Stamford Raffles established a trading post in Singapore
1824 - The Anglo-Dutch formalized British control over Malacca uniting Penang, Singapore & Malacca into the Straits Settlements.
1896 > 1946 - The British established the Federated Malay States (Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan & Pahang)
1941 > 1945 - Japanese occupation of Malaya
1948 > 1960 - The Malayan Emergency, armed revolt by the Malayan Communist Party
1950 - KM was born during the pre-Merdeka era
1957 Aug 31 - Malaya achieved her Merdeka or Independence from British & the completion of Merdeka Stadium
1959 Aug 19 - The 1st Parliamentary Election in Malaya
1963 Sept 6 - The formation of Malaysia (Malaya, Singapore, Sabah & Sarawak)
1963 > 1966 - The Indonesia & Malaysia Confrontation
1965 Aug 9 - Singapore left Malaysia
1966 > 1970 - The 1st Malaysian Plan, the first integrated national economic development plan.
1969 - Left school & started to learning the ropes to earn a living
1972 - The launch of New Economic Policy (NEP)
2006 - KM's retirement & the start of his passion in travelling
2026 Feb 2 - official re-opening of Sultan Abdul Samad Building
2026 Nov 1 - the official opening of Merdeka 118 Mall
2027 Aug 31 - looking forward to Malaysia's 70th National Day celebration

Merdeka Maybank Tower, Jalan Hang Jebat is a 118 storey megamall skyscraper in the Merdeka Precinct, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Malaysia. At 679 meters tall, it is the 2nd tallest building in the world (previously held by the Shanghai Tower at 632 meters). Merdeka 118 Tower began construction in 2016 & was completed on Jan 10 2024, The Merdeka 118 Mall was officially opened on Nov 1 2026. Visiting the old, modern iconic & historical "Merdeka" landmarks in Kuala Lumpur City Centre gave me a fond memory of the past & an appreciation of the present ! Old is Gold, New is Progress !

Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE is currently the world's tallest skyscraper at 829 meters high ! Merdeka Tower has overtaken Vincom Landmark 81, Ho Chin Minh, Vietnam as the highest skyscraper in South East Asia ! I had the opportunity of visiting these 3 skyscrapers in recent years ! A significant sign of progress for these 3 countries !

1) Meet up with my ex-travel buddy (Hui) for a curry laksa (KM's delight) & prawn mee noodle (Hui's delight, @Rm11 = US$2.70) breakfast (a treat from KM) in Taman Maluri Town Centre, hopefully the curry laksa could spice up my day when I make my first maiden visit to Merdeka 118 Mall, a new kid (megamall) on the block just opened business on Nov 1 (11.18AM) 2026 in the heart of Kuala Lumpur City Centre !

Curry Laksa

Prawn Mee

2) A light xiaolongbao (Rm12 = US$2.95, 6 pieces soup / pork dumplings, a treat from Hui) lunch with my ex-travel buddy, Hui in Food City at Aeon Maluri Shopping Centre (prior to my solo visit to Merdeka 118 Mall), a clean, air-conditioned non-halal food court located on the 2nd floor of the mall in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

3) After a delicious breakfast & lunch, I made a solo visit by MRT Rapid KL train from Aeon Maluri > Merdeka MRT station - the start of my living story about Merdeka in Malaysia !

4) Merdeka - in English is "Independence" or "Free". Malaya (now Malaysia) was under British rule from 1826 > 1941 & 1945 > 1957 (total 127 years), other countries in Asia under the British rule were Singapore (1819 > 1942 & 1945 > 1959), Hong Kong (1841 > 1997), India (1757 > 1947) & Sri Lanka (1802 > 1948)

August 31 - Malaysia National Day

5) Dataran Merdeka - on August 30 1957 midnight, the British Union Jack was lowered for the last time in Selangor Club Padang / Dataran Merdeka, it is the location where Malaysia's Father of Independence, Tuaku Abdul Rahman (the 1st Prime Minister of Malaysia) stepped onto the stage at Dataran Merdeka holding a 100 year old "keris pukal" in his right hand & declared independence with 7 shouts of "Merdeka" in front of an ecstatic crowd of 100,000 people; I was a 7 year old kid then & indeed August 31 1957 was an auspicious start for Malaya, major cities / towns in Peninsula Malaya were in jubilant & celebration mood ushering the birth of a new nation !

Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur

Sultan Abdul Samad Building
Merdeka 118 Tower
& Dataran Merdeka (Feb 2026)

6) From foreign occupation to Merdeka / Independence, from brick & mortar to skyscrapers, building a country is not easy & take time; require political, social & economic stability & last but not least, the progressing Malaysia must remain a nation of harmony, respect & dignity.

7) Merdeka Stadium, Jalan Stadium, Kuala Lumpur - known as the site of the formal declaration of the Federation of Malaya on Aug 31 1957 (09.30), it is also the site the the proclamation of Malaysia on Sept 16 1963, located opposite the Merdeka Maybank Tower.

8) Merdeka Maybank Tower under construction (Feb 2020)

9) Cityscape of Merdeka Maybank Tower as viewed from the various angles in my recent visits to Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

10) Merdeka MRT station, Kuala Lumpur - took a MRT (Sungei Buloh - Kajang Line) from Aeon Maluri MRT station > Merdeka MRT Station

Merdeka MRT Station
(Sungei Buloh - Kajang Line)

11) A preview visit of Merdeka 118 Tower on Feb 11 2026 prior to the official opening (Nov 1 2026).

12) The start of my exploratory visit (exterior & interior) in Merdeka Maybank 118 Mall (at the base of the tower) after the official opening yesterday (Nov 1 2026), for my 1st visit to this mega mall, I could probably only able to cover 70% of the walk on the various shopping floors & will do another visit in the next few weeks before the year ends !

13) Selera 118 Food Court (B1), Merdeka Maybank Tower, the closest link to Merdeka MRT station, B2 & B4 are for car parkings, crowded at the time of my visit during the office lunch hour, a wide variety of local Malaysian & western food for you to savour .....

14) Spent almost 1.5 hours doing a "Merdeka Wonder" walk in this newly opened 7 storey mega mall in Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

15) Beautiful cascading floating water fountains (raincloud feature) flowing down across 3 floors, changing colour lighting creating an impressive image on each floor.

16) The highest Level 4 (The Atmosphere & Leisure), Merdeka 118 Mall - crowned by an 88 metre sky-lit glass dome with natural sunlight, twinkling lights & a massive 360 degree LED screen with 3D visual effects, also houses entertainment areas, a cinema & dining spots.

17) Level 3 (Culture & Culinary), Merdeka 118 Mall - home to cultural & dining spaces including BookXcess, Makanism Food Stall, Malaysian Artisan District (M.A.D) showcasing local craftmanship & fashion.

18) Food Glorious Food serving by established & well known food & beverage chains, so have fun in eating !

19) Book Xcess, Level 3, Merdeka 118 Mall - a favourite place for book lovers !

20) Deepavali festive décor in Merdeka 118 Mall - festive décor keeps Deepavali (Hindu Festival of Lights) tradition alive ! Wishing the Indian community of Hindu faith in my home country & overseas a very Happy Deepavali (this year falls on Sunday Nov 8 2026) !

21) Exiting the Merdeka 118 Mall & a short walk to a connecting underground Merdeka MRT station for a train ride to Pasar Seni (transit) > SS15, Subang Jaya (home sweet home !)

22) Gloomy weather, thunderstorm, heavy rainfall & massive flooding in low lying areas of Klang Valley greeted me upon my arrival in Subang Jaya (November is the start of the North East monsoon season in Malaysia) ! A wet wet afternoon but a great great new mega mall visit to end my day !

22) My Good Old Days - my close encounters with skyscrapers standing tall in Dubai (UAE), Vincom Landmark 81, Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) & Shanghai Tower (China)