Merdeka 118 to Be Completed Next Year

A view of Merdeka 118, a skyscraper under construction in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which will become the world's second-tallest building when completed next year.

Merdeka 118 (formerly known as KL 118), a skyscraper currently under construction in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is expected to become the world's second-tallest skyscraper when finished next year. The project, being carried out by Samsung C&T, is slated for completion in the third quarter of next year, Malaysia's New Strait Times said on Nov. 15.

Initially, the height of the 118-story building was supposed to be 644 meters, but when a spire is built on it, it will be 700 meters tall, the newspaper said. Its final height is scheduled to be disclosed next year. When construction started, it was scheduled to be completed in December 2019, but the completion date has been delayed by about three years due to COVID-19.

The skyscraper project began in 2014. Samsung C&T formed a consortium with UEM, a local construction company. The edifice has a combined floor space of 673,862 square meters and consists of offices and hotels. The newspaper reported that the tallest observatory in Southeast Asia will be built at the top of the building, and glass elevators will offer users special experiences. The entire development project is expected to come to an end between 2025 and 2026.

When Merdeka 118 is completed in the third quarter of 2022, it will be the world's second-highest building after 828-meter-tall, 163-story Burj Khalifa in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates, which was also built by Samsung C&T. The company also co-constructed the Petronas Twin Towers, a landmark in Kuala Lumpur, with a Japanese company.

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