One can argue that Malaysia is simply overload with too many shopping centres, especially within the Klang Valley. Still, have you ever wondered about the first-ever mall in Malaysia? This may be common knowledge to some but in case you don’t know, here’s a little history lesson about Ampang Park Shopping Centre.
Before we get into the mall’s conception itself, let’s get to know the company behind it – the Low Keng Huat Brothers Realty. The construction business was founded in 1969 by Tan Sri Dato’ Low along with his three brothers. After the success of Singapore’s first mall which was the People’s Park Complex in 1968, the Low Keng Huat Brothers Realty team decided that it was time for Malaysia to have some of that success.
Ampang Park Shopping Centre was built in 1973 and was located at Jalan Ampang which is in the Golden Triangle area of Kuala Lumpur. In modern days, it was situated near what is now known as Suria KLCC. During that time, Jalan Ampang was known for its upscale residences and villas which made it the perfect location to build the shopping centre.
The building’s construction began in 1972 and was finally open to the public on 15th March 1973 the following year. Apart from offering the latest fashion trends in Malaysia, the mall was basically your one-stop centre to satisfy all your needs, from food and entertainment to banking, groceries and currency exchange services. Everything you’d ever needed in life could simply be found at this very shopping mall.
Over the years since its opening, bigger and more luxurious malls have opened around Malaysia, especially in KL yet Ampang Park remained to be possibly the most iconic one of them all during its prime. In fact, the building was so iconic that it was even featured on the 3rd season of the popular reality series “The Amazing Race” back in 2002.
The mall served as a location where the contestants had to stop to develop their photographs of the Petronas Twin Towers. Though it may be a famous landmark for locals, the participating teams had difficulty finding Ampang Park and had to ask locals for directions. After 44 years of operation, no one would ever considered the possibility of the mall ever closing down as it was one of Malaysia’s historical establishments. Unfortunately, back in 2015, it was announced that the mall would be demolished to make way for the Ampang Park MRT station.
Tenants and shoppers suggested that the MRT be built underneath the mall to allow more accessibility and people wouldn’t have to worry about parking. Thus, the “Save Ampang Park” campaign started in hopes of stopping the mall from closing down. The campaign seemed to have worked as MRT Corp announced later the same year that they decided to build the station elsewhere. Sadly, the company went back to their original plans of demolishing the mall as plans for a fully integrated Ampang Park MRT station and LRT station did not fall through as everyone hoped.
Still, shoppers and tenants tried their best to save the iconic shopping centre. In January 2017, the Court of Appeal rejected the judicial review application by 39 tenants against the acquisition of land for the MRT station project and news broke out that Ampang Park Mall would be permanently closed on 31st December 2017. During this process, many of the mall’s shoppers and tenants shared their stories of memories they made throughout the 44 years of operation.
Demolition of the iconic building started in May 2018. Fast forward to today, the Ampang Park MRT station is now standing where the mall once stood. Though more options for public transportation are always welcomed, it broke many hearts. It’s truly tragic that Malaysia’s first-ever mall is no longer standing for people to marvel at and remember its glory days but those who have visited the complex will always associate Jalan Ampang with the once-popular historical site.
Sources: Malaymail, NST, Malaysia Central, TheMalaysianReserve, Empirics Asia, DryedMangoez, TheSmartLocal
