A concerned Malaysian recently took to TikTok to express his disappointment with the rapid urbanisation of his once peaceful hometown, highlighting the growing disconnect between development and quality of life.
In his video titled “When city planning makes the actual quality of life worse...”, the netizen criticised developers for prioritising infrastructure over livability, pointing to his own neighbourhood as an example of how townships are being overwhelmed by concrete expansions.
ALSO READ: Fahmi calls for more tree planting programmes in Klang Valley
“I just saw this TikTok, and it moved me to tears,” he said, recounting his childhood in Dato Keramat, Kuala Lumpur.
He shared how the area’s roads once radiated a warm, inviting charm, saying, “The roads used to look like this, with the sunlight, it all looks nice and it is nice to live there.”
However, the idyllic image didn’t last.
Through a series of visuals, he compared the roads of 2013 with those of 2024, showcasing the stark transformation from picturesque streets to bland, urban sprawl. “...and today, it looks like this,” he said, visibly upset by what had become of his beloved township.
“And today it looks like this, which is so, so sad,” he said.
“The people who design our cities don’t understand what is important in a city.
“A city is supposed to be more than just a network of roads that connect separate places,” he added.
“A city is a place that is meant to be lived in and if the experience of living in it is miserable then what’s the point of the city? Who is the city built for? Is this a city for cars or is it a city for people?” he questioned.
Pointing to the massive spaghetti interchange in Kota Damansara, he described it as a “nightmare” for residents, further driving home his point that urban development seems to favor cars over people.
Netizens were quick to agree with him, many sharing about their own neighbourhood.
One user called Hannpaw commented: “I understand how you feel. I feel the same way about Desa Pandan. I grew up there for 24 years, and then they destroyed all of my childhood memories.”
Syafiqah Rashid wrote: “I used to live in Keramat. Every time I tell my husband how ruined that place is now, you can’t imagine how upset I am because Jalan Jelatek used to be calm with trees and everything.”
“I used to live on Jalan Semarak, but now I’m confused, man... the roads feel like a puzzle to me. Dato Keramat is already so congested, and the roads are really narrow through Jelatek and Setiawangsa,” PapaSlayyy commented.
