Business Leaders Clarify Reason Behind High Metal Fencing at Major Shopping Malls
The phenomenon of several large shopping centres installing high metal fences around their outer perimeters has recently come under public scrutiny. Photos and videos circulating on social media show various malls from Jakarta to Surabaya surrounded by metal fencing approximately 2.5 metres high, sparking various speculations among netizens.
esponding to the widespread discussion, the Chairman of the Indonesian Shopping Centre Management Association (APPBI), Alphonzus Widjaja, has provided an explanation. He emphasised that the installation of these fences is not related to threats of riots, but is instead a step taken by management to organise visitor access and enhance the security aspects of the shopping centre areas.
According to Alphonzus, the primary objective of installing the fences is to ensure that the flow of visitors entering and exiting is more orderly, thereby preventing disruptions to the traffic surrounding the shopping centres. “The main goal is actually to better regulate the flow of visitors entering and exiting. If it remains open, visitors can enter and exit from anywhere, which endangers the surrounding traffic,” he stated when met at the Ministry of Trade Auditorium in Jakarta on Thursday, 30 July 2026.
Business leaders emphasised that the use of fencing is not a new phenomenon in the shopping centre industry. Alphonzus explained that several malls in Indonesia have actually utilised fencing since they first began operations. Therefore, he believes that the recent appearance of fences in several shopping centres should not be immediately linked to specific security issues.
“If we look at it, the installation of these fences is merely coincidental. Many shopping centres have existed since the beginning with fences. So, I believe the main purpose is to better organise access,” he said. He noted that every management team has its own operational considerations in regulating vehicle and pedestrian access to ensure activities around the mall areas remain orderly.
In addition to managing visitor mobility, APPBI acknowledged that the fences also serve as a security perimeter, particularly for shopping centres located in areas that frequently host demonstrations. According to Alphonzus, the presence of the fences provides a clear boundary between the public area outside the building and the operational area of the shopping centre, ensuring that activities within the mall can continue safely.