Things to do in Putrajaya in 2023: Malaysia’s other capital

Before I tell you about the things you’ll see in Putrajaya, let me tell you the thing you won’t see – traffic!

On the wide boulevards that run through the centre of the city, down the side streets between modern buildings, along the arcing roads that connect the outer precincts, there is a smattering of cars but barely enough to make me wait for a green light when I’m crossing the road.

While the streets in the centre of Kuala Lumpur are relatively calm compared to the mayhem of Bangkok, for example, Putrajaya could almost be post-apocalyptic in its emptiness.

Is there anybody here?

It’s a fair question to ask. The city was only created in 1995 with the vision that it would be a new capital city for Malaysia, housing the administration of the Federal Government, just 25 kilometres south of Kuala Lumpur.

The first official government workers moved to Putrajaya in 1999, the same year the Prime Minister officially took up residence here. The judiciary moved here in 2003 and gradually so did all the Malaysian government departments, with the last one relocating in 2012.

As of today, Putrajaya only has a population of about 100,000 people, compared to 8 million in KL.

(In case you’re wondering, Kuala Lumpur is still considered the official capital of Malaysia and is where the country’s head of state – known as the Agong – and the Federal Parliament is based.)

When you visit Putrajaya, you’ll see the massive office buildings that house all the departments, often striking in their architecture.

Like the headquarters of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, which looks like something from Robocop with three towers lifted off the ground by huge pylons.

Many of my recommendations for things to do in Putrajaya involve the architecture of these government offices – after all, a city this modern is not full of heritage. But the advantage of planning the urban design from scratch is that you can create some impressive districts.

It’s not just any individual building in isolation that stands out (although there are certainly some highlights), it’s the way that they all fit together.