The Malaysian government has ordered the shutdown of the Network School, a community aimed at startups and techno‑optimists, the Wall Street Journal reported. The initiative grew from ideas promoted by entrepreneur and investor Balaji Srinivasan, who has argued that the United States is in irreversible decline and has stated his aim is "to start a new country."
What the program was
The Network School billed itself as "a frontier community for techno‑optimists." Its concepts are linked to Srinivasan’s seven‑stage plan laid out in his book The Network State for building a new society. The Malaysian campus operated out of an abandoned hotel; the Wall Street Journal described the program as part tech incubator, part self‑improvement retreat.
Participant complaints and criticisms
Attendees complained about moldy rooms and about a lack of women and nightlife at the site. Those criticisms helped draw media and regulatory attention to the campus’s operations.
Srinivasan’s response and citizenship change
After questions from the Wall Street Journal, Balaji Srinivasan — who reportedly renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2023 — posted a lengthy message on X declaring himself "a proud Singaporean" and accusing the WSJ of preparing a "hit piece" that would portray him as an "odd duck" rather than as an early adopter.
Licensing and relocation developments
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Malaysian campus must close because of licensing issues. At the same time, Srinivasan recently announced a new agreement to open a campus in Kazakhstan, indicating plans to continue the project elsewhere.
Why this matters
The case touches on regulatory oversight, the practical challenges of cross‑border startup communities, and the feasibility of projects that aim to create alternative, networked forms of society. It also illustrates how ambitious tech‑driven social experiments can run into local operational and legal constraints.
