PPKM says mall operators have no mechanism to monitor shoppers’ time limit

PETALING JAYA (May 24): While supporting the government’s move in limiting the time shoppers spend in malls, Malaysia Shopping Mall Association (PPKM) raised their concerns on the enforcement as mall operators have no mechanism on monitoring the shoppers of their time spent in malls.

In a media statement today, following the recent announcement made by the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi on May 23, PPKM said it will be impractical for mall operators to enforce this SOP. 

“Once shoppers are inside the mall, mall management personnel have totally NO control of where they visit and are unable to keep track of their movements.The only practical way is to put up signages in the entrance and common areas and to advise businesses to do similarly at their premises, plus announcements (where applicable) to remind shoppers.  

Apart from this, we opine that it is not practical for anyone to stop a shopper asking to check his/her MySejahtera to audit the time of entry plus nor do we have the authority to do so. In the event enforcement authorities were to undertake this, it would be akin to a ‘police-state’,” said the association. 

The onus would be on shoppers to discipline themselves to the two hours limit and not for malls to enforce. Thus, PPKM opposed any attempt to penalise the mall and/or retailers for such misdemeanour.
Nevertheless, the association observed that since the outbreak of this pandemic in 2020, the car parking records have shown that shoppers are already spending one to 1.5 hours shorter than the norm of average three hours - which is also below the two-hour limit.

PPKM added that business premises within malls are already controlling their capacity by limiting 4sq m per person with maximum capacity number being displayed at the entrances and opined that it is impractical for business outlets to monitor and check shopping time duration of their customers. 

“In shopping malls, it is totally not practical to count and limit the number of shoppers in the mall at any one time because shoppers come in from multiple entrances and will be dispersed to the business outlets anyway. These numbers of shoppers to malls are perpetually transient as they arrive and depart at any time,” said PPKM.  

Furthermore, with no events, exhibitions and promotional activities are allowed, It is relevant to note that the natural capacity of the number of shoppers in a mall is limited by the number of car bays available.
The number of bays provided is based on the Town Planning Rules of 1 bay per 40 sqm. The number of passengers in a car is limited to three pax and the number of passengers in a car is limited to three pax. 

“We are of the opinion that limiting the numbers in a business/tenant’s premises suffices and that counting the number of people within the mall is not practical and impossible to be carried out sensibly.”

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