09.08.2025

The Merdeka 118 is Malaysia's "Excalibur" - a legendary sword thrust into the sky

Merdeka 118 rises like Malaysia’s own "Excalibur" - a legendary sword of steel and glass, thrust into the skies, uniting royal legacy, national pride, and the promise of a future hero.

Words: Raja Izz

Photo from left: Excalibur (1981) film & Merdeka 118.

GC Illustration.


Prologue:

“To many, Merdeka 118 stands simply as Malaysia’s tallest skyscraper. But to those who understand the deeper currents beneath our nation’s soul, this iconic tower is far more: it is our Excalibur, a legendary sword thrust into the sky, embodying the rightful sovereignty and enduring spirit of Malaysia.

Just as King Arthur’s power was bound to Excalibur - an emblem of divine kingship and noble virtue - our own power flows from the ancient Pagaruyung Kingdom, the cradle of Malay royal blood and the genesis of our nation’s identity. This mythology is not mere folklore; it is a living legacy that courses through our veins, anchoring our present to a noble past.

In embracing this legend, modern Malaysia reclaims a royal heritage that calls upon all leaders to wield their power with honor, justice, and service - virtues that transform leadership from privilege to sacred trust. It reminds us that our independence is more than political freedom; it is the continuation of a grand saga of rightful kingship, cultural pride, and unity forged across centuries.

Merdeka 118 is thus no ordinary building. It is a monument to our mythic destiny - a beacon that calls Malaysians to rise, united by history and inspired by the timeless ideals of courage and nobility. This is the story we live today, the legacy we carry forward, and the future we must build together.”

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This month, when the whole of Malaysia whispers "Merdeka," the first thing that shall rise in their minds is the Merdeka 118.

While human achievements may fade over time, this tower will endure for generations. It will outlast kingdoms and become a foundational part of our nation's cultural and spiritual destiny.

It begins not with concrete, but with conviction.
Not with steel, but with sovereignty.

You see the tower from almost anywhere in Kuala Lumpur. Piercing the clouds. Dwarfing every structure around it. Gleaming like a blade held skyward - not in arrogance, but in ancestral defiance.

But the Merdeka 118 is not merely a building.
It is a declaration.
It is a gesture.
It is destiny made visible.

Photo credit: Tintoy Chuo.

 

A Gesture First Seen in 1957

In the breathless dusk of 31st August 1957, Tunku Abdul Rahman stepped forward before a sea of Malaysians gathered at Stadium Merdeka. With his voice echoing through the newly liberated air, he raised his arm and called out the sacred word:

“Merdeka!”

Seven times.

That raised hand was not just for theatrics. It was the visual seal of a nation reclaiming its dignity. And if you trace the line of that gesture upward, past the decades of struggle, beyond the smog of politics and commerce, you will see it now immortalised in architecture.

The very tip of Merdeka 118 replicates Tunku’s uplifted hand - the precise angle, the upward force, the invocation of divine witness.

A skyscraper that doesn’t just stand. It proclaims.

The Gate of Minangkabau.

Photo credit: PNB Merdeka Ventures.

 

Royal Bloodlines, Ancient Fire

The tower entrance gate - the gate of Minangkabau - was inspired from the prestigious Pagaruyung Kingdom - the ancestor of modern Negeri Sembilan state. A kingdom which, according to Sir Stamford Raffles, was the source of that power, the origin of that nation. A land where rulers were chosen by consensus, not conquest; where the very shape of its architecture, curving like the sacred buffalo horn, reached skyward in silent testimony to its ancient spirit.

Here (seat of royalty in the Pagaruyung), then, for the first time, was I able to trace the source of that power , the origin of that nation, so extensively scattered over the Eastern Archipelago.

 

Sir Stamford Raffles, Memoir of the life and public services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1830).

 

Photo credit: Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur.

 

Not Just Tall, but Chosen

At 678.9 meters, it is the second tallest tower in the world. But that number is not random.

The tower surpasses the PETRONAS Twin Towers not to compete, but to complete a narrative: the PETRONAS Twin Towers were built for corporate majesty; Merdeka 118 is built for national memory.

And yet, it is not shouting.

There are no flashy malls inside. No garish brand logos screaming for attention. Instead, the tower is wrapped in geometric elegance, inspired by Islamic art and Malay songket patterns.

A blade cloaked in fabric. A symbol of quiet, disciplined strength.

Like a kris resting on a royal warrior’s waist - humble, until provoked.

Photo credit: Adobe Stock.

 

The Sword Metaphor

Look again at the tower from a distance. Notice its sharp verticality. Its poised defiance of gravity. The way it almost slices the sky open like a divine weapon pulled from the earth. It does not twist like the Shanghai Tower, nor glimmer like Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. It points with purpose, not vanity.

It is Malaysia’s Excalibur, unsheathed after centuries of colonial silence.

And just like in the Arthurian legend, this sword could only be drawn by one who was destined to lead.
In this case, a nation, not a king.

Excalibur is King Arthur’s legendary sword, symbolising rightful rule, destiny, and unity, often tied to divine or mystical power.

Photo credit: Excalibur (1981) film. Warner Bros.


Where We Build Says Who We Are

Stadium Merdeka still stands, quietly at the base of this architectural behemoth - like an old man watching his grown child step into the world. But that stadium is not forgotten. No. It is enshrined. Protected. Held.

You don’t build a tower of this scale in such a sacred site without understanding what it means.

Merdeka 118 is literally built on the bones of our becoming.
It rises from where the first shout of freedom rang out.
It is the most ambitious architectural project in the country, yet its very foundation is humility: remembering who we are.

The Merdeka precinct comprises some of the other components that are still under construction, including the Merdeka Residences, the linear Merdeka Boulevard, the Look within the Merdeka precinct, Merdeka Mall, Little M, and Merdeka Masjid, as well as Merdeka 118, Stadium Merdeka, and other stadiums.

Photo credit: The Edge Malaysia.

 

Spiritual Altitude

There’s something else, too. Something spiritual.

As you stand beneath it and look up, the tower seems to disappear into the skies.

You begin to lose perspective. The angles vanish. The glass reflects only light. You feel small - not in a demeaning way, but in the way a man feels small standing before the Alps, the ocean, or the divine beauty.

It doesn’t scream wealth. It whispers legacy.

It doesn’t demand respect. It quietly receives it.

This is the energy of Merdeka 118. A silent guardian of national soul. A monument not to ego, but to elegance.

Photo: Writer's own

 

Final Reflection: Look Up, Malaysia

Every generation must find its own sword to raise.

Ours is not one of steel or revolution - but of royal heritage, identity, and destiny.

When the world asks, “What does modern Malaysia stand for?”

We need not speak.

We only need to point - to a tower, built with precision, piercing the clouds, and forever holding up the memory of freedom.

So the next time you pass by it - look up.

And understand: it is not just tall. It is our Excalibur, uniting royal legacy, national pride, and the promise of a future hero.

 

Related: 8 secrets of the Merdeka 118: Unveiling Malaysia's crown jewel

 

References

  1. Raffles, Sophia (1830). Memoir of the Life and Public Services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. John Murray. p. 360.

  2. Arup (2024). Merdeka 118: one of the world’s tallest buildings

  3. The Star (2024), King opens Menara Merdeka 118

  4. Valliammai Tirupathi (2025), Case Study of Merdeka 118 Skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur

About the Author

Raja Izz

Raja Izz (MBA) is the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Gentleman's Code (GC), a publication that champions elegance and refined living.

Since its inception in 2018, under Raja Izz’s leadership, GC has reached remarkable milestones, including being recognized as one of the Top 20 Digital Men’s Magazines by Feedspot in 2025 and ranking #1 for “Elegant Man” by Google in the same year.

With his signature blend of gravitas and grace, Raja Izz does not seek the spotlight. Instead, he builds the platform—for others to rise, for values to return, and for men to remember who they once aspired to be.

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