The Malaysian government has ordered the shutdown of the Network School, a startup-centric community founded by entrepreneur and investor Balaji Srinivasan. Described as 'a frontier community for techno-optimists,' the school was supposed to be the first step in Srinivasan's seven-stage plan to build a new society.

The program, which operated out of an abandoned Malaysian hotel, was part tech incubator and part self-improvement retreat. However, attendees complained about moldy rooms and a lack of women and nightlife. After receiving questions from The Wall Street Journal, Srinivasan renounced his American citizenship in 2023, published a post on X declaring himself 'a proud Singaporean' and complaining that the WSJ was working on a 'hit piece.'

Although the current Malaysian campus will reportedly need to shut down due to licensing issues, Srinivasan recently announced a new agreement for a campus in Kazakhstan. His ambitious plan has faced skepticism and criticism, raising questions about the feasibility of building an entire society from scratch.