Putrajaya's reality

Unfinished business: Shelved monorail system

Political will lacking

Lessons from Putrajaya’s designs

Personal insights from the ground

Find out why it has become a paradox decades after its founding.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in.

Putrajaya, founded in 1995, turned 30 in 2025. As Malaysia’s administrative capital and inspired by Paris, it was supposed to replace the former tin-mining colony that is Kuala Lumpur.

Failure of urban planning that prioritised government offices and grandiosity over organic city life are some of the perceptions cited as to why the city has not lived up to its original promise.

The Straits Times’ Malaysia correspondent Hadi Azmi, who recently moved next door to Putrajaya, tells host and foreign editor Li Xueying, about the disconnect between the ambitious vision for Putrajaya and the ground reality.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:47 The vision and reality of Putrajaya

8:13 The “unfinished bridge” and Putrajaya’s shelved monorail system

10:31 Lack of political will leads to urban planning issues

13:28 Lessons from Putrajaya’s township designs

19:22 Hadi’s personal insights and experience in Putrajaya

Read Hadi Azmi’s article here: https://str.sg/CF3t 

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR 

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x  

Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz 

Host: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg)

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg 

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg 

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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#STAsianInsider

Find out why it has become a paradox decades after its founding.
Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in.
Putrajaya, founded in 1995, turned 30 in 2025. As Malaysia&rsquo;s administrative capital and inspired by Paris, it was supposed to replace the former tin-mining colony that is Kuala Lumpur.
Failure of urban planning that prioritised government offices and grandiosity over organic city life are some of the perceptions cited as to why the city has not lived up to its original promise.
The Straits Times&rsquo; Malaysia correspondent Hadi Azmi, who recently moved next door to Putrajaya, tells host and foreign editor Li Xueying, about the disconnect between the ambitious vision for Putrajaya and the ground reality.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:47 The vision and reality of Putrajaya
8:13 The &ldquo;unfinished bridge&rdquo; and Putrajaya&rsquo;s shelved monorail system
10:31 Lack of political will leads to urban planning issues
13:28 Lessons from Putrajaya&rsquo;s township designs
19:22 Hadi&rsquo;s personal insights and experience in Putrajaya
Read Hadi Azmi&rsquo;s article here: <a href="https://str.sg/CF3t">https://str.sg/CF3t</a>&nbsp;
Read Li Xueying&rsquo;s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iqmR">https://str.sg/iqmR</a>&nbsp;
Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/ip4x">https://str.sg/ip4x</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
Sign up for ST&rsquo;s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: <a href="https://str.sg/sfpz">https://str.sg/sfpz</a>&nbsp;
Host: Li Xueying (<a href="mailto:xueying@sph.com.sg">xueying@sph.com.sg</a>)
Edited by: Fa&rsquo;izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa8">https://str.sg/JWa8</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaX">https://str.sg/JWaX</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>&nbsp;
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg">https://www.awedio.sg</a>&nbsp;
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>&nbsp;
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a>&nbsp;
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>&nbsp;
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#STAsianInsider

Get our uniquely Asian perspective on global issues, with ST’s correspondents from around the world.

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.

Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.