Lembah Beringin in Selangor
Before Sepang and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) became synonymous with each other, the airport was planned to be located in Hulu Selangor. With talks that the latter town would be home to a new airport, developments kicked off for the area, including Lembah Beringin.
However, the satellite township built in the ‘90s has turned into what locals dub a “ghost town” with a collection of abandoned homes that make a scene straight out of an apocalyptic film.
A sprawling township with over 2,000 homes
The early 1990s saw the real estate market in Malaysia bubbling with potential. Developers pounced on the wave of housing demands among locals, and Lembah Beringin was born from this boom. In April 1993, plans kicked off for the township, located between Tanjung Malim and Bukit Berenting. It would feature a mix of residential and commercial properties that were set for completion in 1998.
The township was under Lembah Beringin Sdn Bhd, with the aim to establish a green concept township. The first developmental phase, revealed in 1994, promised over 2,000 homestead units sprawled across 200 hectares. Each came with a private fruit orchard, unlike the usual porches and backyards of most local homes. Some might recall watching ads for the township with the song What A Wonderful World playing in the background.
The township would have a mix of bungalows, semi-detached, and terraced houses, all easily accessible from the PLUS North-South Expressway.
Image credit: The Patriots
Residents would have little reason to leave their homes for entertainment too, with town amenities such as an 18-hole golf course, the SSG Beringin Golf Club, and even a full-fledged residential college, Kolej Yayasan UEM (KYUEM), which began offering A-Levels courses in 1998.
Image credit: @khairiidris69 via Instagram
Setbacks to the Selangor township
Rumours that KLIA would find a home in Hulu Selangor fueled the flames of projects like Lembah Beringin. Yet, when KLIA found its home in Sepang, more than 100 kilometers away, local developments began to wobble.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis spurred more troubles for developments in the area, slashing property values and triggering financial peril for numerous companies. Among these was Lembah Beringin Sdn Bhd, which was ultimately liquidated by 2006, stranding over 1,000 incomplete homes and leaving 600 buyers in the lurch.
In 2001, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government declared the area an abandoned project.
The future of Lembah Beringin
Image credit: @arnabgurun via Instagram
Today, Lembah Beringin stands mostly silent, its forgotten structures and rampant greenery making the town a source of interest for locals. While a handful of homes that were completed remain occupied by families and the elderly, the overwhelming emptiness lingers.
Image credit: @nitzus via Instagram
Formerly vibrant, the SSG Beringin Golf Club shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic, joining the list of deserted attractions there. Sparse businesses, including a solitary residential college and restaurants-cum-shops embody the remainder of life in the township.
However, not all hope is lost for the town’s revival. In 2025, China’s electric car manufacturer Chery Malaysia agreed to set up their Chery Smart Auto Industrial Park in Lembah Beringin by 2026, developing 800 acres of the town.
An abandoned township in Selangor
While Lembah Beringin is set to welcome in an industrial park and working folks, locals can anticipate the revival of the town. Till then, the township stands as a compelling chapter in Malaysia’s historical narrative, emblematic of the nation’s developments.
Cover image adapted from: @arnabgurun, @alea_film via Instagram