Shopping mall, Malaysia - April 2008

[Raz333]

Modern sites are not my usual kind of explores as they can be high danger, but as many of you
know, the lure of the explore can be too hard to resist, and so I had a quick 30 minute nose about.
Far too short a time for such an immense site, but it'll give you some idea of what I was up against.

This site has been abandoned for over 15 years. The only shop still operating here is an
illegal DVD shop, it generates brisk trade.

The main mall area is 5 storeys high and arranged around a large central skylight lit void.
Somewhere in here there are some cinemas as well.
On top of the mall is a 24 storey office tower with helicopter pad. Total construction cost for the
site was around 50 million pounds at the time. Cheap of course if compared to the UK.

The interior had a thick smell of damp rot in the air, the basement levels must surely be flooded out.

A lone TV blared out the local equivalent of Pop idol from somewhere inside.

I kept my distance and stuck to the shadows.

 

[Mr Sam]

now that is immense

 

[Virusman26]

That is just awesome. What a huge site. Brilliant report.

 

[smileysal]

That place looks great. I love those escalators, they're cool. Is the whole high rise a shopping mall, or are they flats upstairs?

Excellent place,

cheers Raz,

Sal

Doh, ignore me lol. didn't read properly. They're office blocks not flats doh, sorry

 

[Foxylady]

Fantastic place. I really like those escalator pics; great shapes and colours.

 

[King Al]

Great stuff Raz that place is fantastic! Does any one else get an origional dawn of the dead vibe? Whats the story behind it? why did it close

 

[Raz333]

The place hit the wall during the asian economic crisis.The office tower was never really
finished at the time either.
They're talking about reviving it late this year, but looking at the place I think it'll be way
too expensive to make financial sense.

 

[carlito]

How very DAWN OF THE DEAD!

reminds me of famagusta(not sure) near aiya napa, entire abandoned city.

If only...

 

[L3AN]

stunning location - love the escalators - great pics and the colours are immense!

i want to go there!!

 

[Cerberus]

Thats amazing, must of been really weird walking about something like that, very dilapidated but hugh.

 

[Elvis killer]

Thats awesome deffo zombie movie material

 

[za gringo]

fantastic find , great shots youve got there. nice one

 

[EvilWeevil]

There's something especially wierd about shopping centres. A relitively new concept, when built people would just assume that it'll be there for years. So when you see one that's abandoned it really makes you look twice.

It's a bit like Friars Walk in Reading. A relatively new centre (albeit a bit small), only closed a few years a go because of a shift in the location of where people shopped. The place still looks largely untouched. And when you think that not that long ago people would have been buzzing around it. I dunno, just creeps me out a bit I guess.

 

[Raz333]

Thanks for the comments.

Admittedly this site will be a hard one to top. But knowing Malaysia, you never know what you will find around the next corner

 

[Richard Davies]

Long before the Tiger Economy kicked in, John Harris spent some time there on his national service.

Some highlights are in one of his books.

 

[Well Wasp]

glad to see raz is on here
i always enjoy your reports

amazing site, even second time i read it

 

[BarneySchwarzenegger]

That is amazing, esculater pics are ace.

 

[samsmeg123]

pheeweeeeeeeeee! what a place, pity we dont ave any abadnoned shopping centres by me, i would set up camp in them , Raz your a good Urban Explorer. very good skillz!!!

 

[Smellycat]

I'm sure when I was on holiday in Malaysia we went there when it was a proper shopping centre. Is it near the quality Hotel? it was called the Quality hotel in those days but probably changed by now.

 

[Potter]

Superb! Great work, and a great place.