Scams, illegal businesses pose new setback for Johor’s Forest City revival
Forest City in Johor, Malaysia, is facing challenges in its revival efforts due to the emergence of illegal gambling operations. These controversies threaten the development's attempt to shed its reputation as a ghost town.
Why it matters
Highlights the socio-economic risks and regulatory challenges faced by large-scale real estate developments in Southeast Asia.
Forest City is courting investors and trying to shed its “ghost town” label, but recent controversies are testing efforts to revive the development and its property market.
An aerial view of Forest City on Sep 14, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Zamzahuri Abas)
Amir Yusof 27 Sep 2026 06:00AM (Updated: 27 Sep 2026 03:30PM) Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a new cards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST ISKANDAR PUTERI, Johor: Behind the unmarked door of a shoplot along a quiet commercial stretch of Forest City, four customers sat tapping away, playing slot-style games on tablets.
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