Facts about Merdeka 118 in Malaysia
Malaysia is home to several noteworthy buildings, with the Petronas Twin Towers being its most recognisable landmark yet. The nation’s architectural marvels don’t stop there, as Merdeka 118 now stands as the second tallest building in the world, just behind Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Here are 8 interesting things to know about the colossal monument in KL.
1. Merdeka 118 has gone through several monikers before
Image credit: @ckl_image via Instagram
Most locals know the new glossy building that graces KL’s skyline – the unmissable one with an “antenna” poking out from its crown – as Merdeka 118. Before this name was chosen by its developer, Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), it was called KL118, PNB 118, and Menara Warisan Merdeka.
The name of the towering skyscraper pays homage to Malaysia’s Independence Day and also Merdeka Park – KL’s second oldest park, which formerly occupied the 19-acre plot of land that the building currently sits on.
2. Its unique design reflects Malaysia’s independence
There’s a reason behind Merdeka 118’s unique design, the protruding spire included. Its modern, neo-futurism facade is inspired by a monumental moment in Malaysia’s history, when Tunku Abdul Rahman stretched out his arm and chanted “Merdeka!” to declare the country’s independence.
Image credit: @klcityscapes via Instagram
Likewise, the KL skyscraper’s diamond-shaped glass surfaces, angled in several different directions, are meant to represent the diversity of the Malaysian population. There are about 18,114 glass panels that cover the exterior, along with 1,600 tonnes of window frame extrusions.
3. The second tallest building in the world
Image credit: @zaidanizaini via Instagram
Proudly towering at 678.9m, or 2,227ft, Merdeka 118 holds its spot as the world’s second-tallest skyscraper, following the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest, which stands at 829.8m. The Malaysian building’s spire alone measures 53 storeys tall.
Merdeka 118 is also currently the tallest building in Southeast Asia, surpassing Vietnam’s impressive Landmark 81, and Malaysia’s tallest building.
4. It has 118 floors
Image credit: Park Hyatt
If you’re wondering what 118 in Merdeka 118 stands for, it’s the number of floors in the building. Planned for the building are 83 office floors, with 60 reserved for the use of PNB, and 17 floors on its upper levels for the upcoming Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, which will have 232 units, including 28 suites and 30 apartments. The luxury hotel will open in June 2025, along with Michelin-starred establishments.
Other amenities include over 8,500 parking spots and four acres of urban and linear parks.
5. It’ll have a new mall and SEA’s highest observation deck
Image credit: Merdeka 118
Other attractions to look out for in Merdeka 118 include a shopping mall, 118 Mall, that is expected to open in June 2026. It is a dome-shaped, 7-storey mall, with planned amenities like an alfresco food street, an indoor waterfall feature, and a Malaysian artisan district.
Image credit: Merdeka 118
It also has two observation decks, including Southeast Asia’s highest observation deck on the top floors inside the spire. The other observation area is on the first and second floors inside the building itself.
5. It faced construction delays due to Covid-19
Image credit: @aliuddinmusthafa via Instagram
Merdeka 118 has an estimated construction cost of RM5 billion. Construction for the building began in November 2016, but it saw a hiatus in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Work was back on the cards by May 2020, and by August, the building soared to its complete height of 118 floors. It was given its crowning glory in November 2021 and unveiled officially on 10th January 2024.
7. It has its own designated MRT stop
Image credit: Big KL
Future trips to Merdeka 118 will be a breeze. Merdeka 118 connects conveniently to the Merdeka MRT station on the dark-green Kajang line and the Maharajalela Monorail station. Additionally, its 1km Belfield Tunnel links the site to the underground car park, ensuring road users’ comfort and ease of travel.
8. It made international headlines several times
Besides garnering attention for being the 2nd tallest building in the world, Merdeka 118 has also been turning heads online for several other reasons. In 2022, a series of trespassing incidents from rooftoppers received criticism from locals. This included an attempt from Russian daredevil Angela Nikolau – who is known for scaling sky-high buildings around the world – whose illegal stunt was captured in a Netflix documentary.
In 2025, Merdeka 118 gained attention once again when behind-the-scenes footage dropped for Marvel’s Thunderbolts, which showed Florence Pugh performing a daredevil diving stunt from the skyscraper.
Facts about Malaysia’s Merdeka 118 skyscraper
As the world’s second-tallest structure, Merdeka 118 stands as a testament to Malaysia’s architectural feats. It certainly impresses with the titles under its belt, including a feature in an upcoming Marvel film.
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Cover image adapted from: @ckl_image via Instagram, Merdeka 118
This article was updated on 6th April 2025.