THE CICAK.com

Ode to Malaysian shopping malls

By KEITH LEONG

It is universally acknowledged that shopping centres are an integral part of the Malaysian way of life. Hanging out in them is a rite of passage for every youth in this country.

I have had the privilege of being a kutu rayau in many such institutions, each with its own unique identity. They have coloured my childhood and shaped the way I see our nation’s modernity. This is a paean to those places, celebrating their virtues and vices as well as tracing their vicissitudes over the years.

Issues surrounding shopping centers, never fail to draw national attention.

The lepak culture, for example, which directly involves shopping centres, is a never-ending worry for adults, spawning such schemes as the late and unlamented Rakan Muda program. Violent crimes against women occurring in shopping centres during the last few years have raised public outcry. Important cultural events and landmarks have taken place or are located in our malls, like the first “Rock the World” concert at 1 Utama, or the Actor’s Studio’s second theatre at the Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC).

The shopping malls in Malaysia have evolved dramatically over time. Take for instance, the Atria, the place nearest to my home and heart.

I practically grew up there. My family and I are there at least once a week. Shops have come and go, though the KFC and Guardian outlets remain. As a child, I loved the fantastic floral displays in the central court. The supermarket attached to that court has changed hands from Parkson to Wellsave to Giant, and is now undergoing yet another facelift. I remember when the Popular Bookstore outlet (a place I’d often frequent after school) closed. I was filled with a sense of utter desolation. It was like losing an old friend.

Next up: Subang Parade. I recall my mother keeping me on a short leash the first time we went there, as it was “easy to get lost in.�

Subang Parade has improved tremendously lately. The toilets are cleaner and it’s generally better lit than before. There are some wonderful restaurants and cafes, and a cosy MPH to hide in. If I must lament anything, it is the childhood haven, Toys�R�Us.

But the chameleon of Malaysian malls is the 1 Utama Shopping Centre. It is also arguably the best mall, if the hordes that flock to it almost every day are anything to go by.

1 Utama, more than any other shopping centre in Malaysia, has grown and evolved rapidly. Everyone who can remember when it first opened will agree with me that it seemed so incredibly pristine, so… I don’t know, cool.

People simply couldn’t get enough of 1 Utama. It was the place to be, where you begged to be driven to every Saturday. The first “Rock the World,” as I mentioned earlier, took place there as a defiant gesture to the establishment’s never-ending crusade against rock music.

Then, something happened. It wasn’t so much a decline as a change in pace, in focus. The mall became less hectic, more sedate. Some of its hallmarks from its early periods disappeared or moved on their own accord.

Does anyone remember (among others) the hawker stalls by the river, the Promenade (they moved to Taman Mayang and now call themselves the Ming Tien Food Court), the old Tower Records outlet (now operating on a much smaller scale in the Old Wing) and the Windmill restaurant? And can someone please, please tell me what happened to that huge sketch of Michael Learns to Rock???

It became the kind of place your family could go for an outing in the middle of the week. It was becoming respectable.

Then of course the fateful decision to expand was made. Everyone noted the construction taking place across the road and wondered what would happen. When its new wing opened, we knew the Malaysian shopping experience would never be the same. The hordes returned.

Can I say at this point that I initially hated the new wing with a passion? I loved the homeliness of the old wing and pined for the days when I could enjoy it without the hustle and bustle.

However, my attitude has considerably softened. We now have a bigger MPH and a new Times bookstore in the new wing. I enjoy watching movies at GSC, and the old TGV still has its charms. I suppose both wings can be enjoyed differently.

The continual rise of 1 Utama has led to other shopping malls mushrooming around the Bandar Utama area, such as the Curve and IKANO Powerhouse. Only time can tell how they’ll evolve, along with the new Cineleisure Damansara that will open soon.

Of course, not all shopping centres have changed as dramatically. Places like Sunway Pyramid, the BSC, Midvalley Megamall and Suria KLCC still consistently draw crowds.

You’ll notice I’ve only mentioned shopping malls in the Klang Valley, as I haven’t travelled to many parts of the country.

I remember showing some foreign friends over dinner (using cups and saucers) the layout of 1 Utama and its nearby competitors. They were amazed at how many shopping malls there were.

When I was overseas, I missed Malaysia’s shopping malls.

However, I’m not denying the downside to shopping centres. They are, as old folks always point out, a waste of time and money. They are symbols of consumer capitalism. And I can’t, and don’t want to, imagine the noise and traffic congestion that people who live near the big stores contend with.

Shopping malls are, like so many things in Malaysia, a mixed blessing. But they are a fact of life that won’t be going away soon. These are places where people from all ages, races and religions come together. That’s quite remarkable considering the amount of tension in diverse communities lately.

So I shall keep going to the shopping centres, by myself or with my loved ones. I’ll eat, look at books or classical music CDs and catch movies. I won’t go so far as to call malls symbols of cultural diversity.

They are a hub though.

Maybe I’ll see you there sometime.

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KEITH LEONG is a contributing writer for theCICAK.

He was born in Melaka, grew up in Damansara Jaya and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New South Wales, Sydney. He enjoys baroque music, grand epic movies and long walks. He still lives and works in Damansara Jaya.