Hippindo Chief Speaks Out on Mall That Installed High Fences

Budihardjo stressed that the fence installation was intended to regulate consumer traffic and comfort at the shopping centre.

“The one that installed the fence is actually just one group, so it is not all of its malls. The point is that the mall group may simply be regulating traffic for consumer comfort, so that consumers do not enter from all directions or perhaps park haphazardly. They may want to manage it because the location is on a main road. From our perspective, we should create a good situation,” Budihardjo said when met at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs in Jakarta on Thursday (6/8).

He added that shopping centres remain open as usual and are even holding events, particularly with provincial governments.

“We must ensure that consumers and the public can continue their activities as normal. Moreover, there is assurance from the Governor, so there is nothing to worry about,” he explained.

Previously, two owners of Indonesia’s largest shopping centre networks, James Riady of Lippo Group and Alexander Tedja of Pakuwon Group, affirmed that national security conditions remain conducive, so there is no need to install barrier fences at malls. They stated that the installation of fences at several shopping centres was a local management initiative and not a company policy.

James T. Riady, Vice Chairman Coordinator for Foreign Affairs at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) and Chairman of Lippo Group, assessed that there is no reason for the public to feel anxious about social or economic conditions. According to him, the government has succeeded in maintaining public purchasing power through various strategic policies, including maintaining subsidised fuel prices, subsidised household electricity tariffs, and the price of 3-kilogram LPG cylinders amid soaring global energy prices due to geopolitical conflicts.