Will another mall fulfill our needs?
Will another mall fulfill our needs?
Bambang Nurbianto and Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Everyone has their own reason to go to the mall. It could be for
shopping, sightseeing or a social gathering.
For Tria, 30, it tends to be the latter, plus catching up with
what's hip today.
"The primary objective is to buy my monthly groceries. I could
buy the stuff at my neighborhood supermarket, but I don't. Why?
Well, because I also want to know what's in. In terms of
fashion ... everything," said the mother of two, who was spotted
at Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta.
She and her husband regularly take their children all the way
from their home in Serpong, Tangerang, to the downtown mall.
Usually it is Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta, or Mal Taman
Anggrek, West Jakarta.
"Despite that, however, I never deliberately go to the mall
just for recreation. It has never been the main reason because we
live far from here. It's always because there's something we need
to buy."
Whatever the reason, thousands swarm the malls scattered
across Jakarta every day. And the numbers increase greatly on
weekends and holidays.
There are indeed a lot of malls in Jakarta. They range from
centers for specific items, such as computers or textiles, to
grand, luxurious ones, such as Plaza Indonesia or Plaza Senayan.
Sociologist from the University of Indonesia Imam B. Prasodjo
said that shopping malls were now among the most popular places
to visit.
"They're free of charge. Besides, where else can we go as we
lack recreation grounds and other public places in the city?" he
said.
Therefore, he added, it was hardly surprising that thousands
of people visited shopping malls every day.
Mall culture has become so deeply entrenched within society
that malls have become attractive investments to businesspeople.
Based on data from property agent Procon's first quarterly
report in 2002, the total floorspace of Jakarta's malls reached
1.2 million square meters (sqm). The additional floorspace to be
created in 2002 and 2003 is estimated to reach 397,400 sqm.
At present, at least six new malls are planned to be built,
and some are already under construction. They are Semanggi Plaza,
Senayan Sport Trade Center, Senayan City, Senayan ITC Mangga Dua,
Sportsmall and Mall Kelapa Gading Phase II.
According to retail observer Kafi Kurnia, the city needs many
more shopping malls, given its population of around 10 million
people.
"Compared with other cities, such as Kuala Lumpur, Singapore
and Hong Kong, the number of shopping malls in Jakarta is still
low," he claimed.
Businesswise, it may be profitable, but the fast growth of
shopping malls has sparked protests from environmentalists and
other experts alike.
Many of the buildings were constructed on inappropriate areas,
such as open spaces and general and social facilities. Such malls
include Plaza Senayan, Mal Taman Anggrek, a number of malls in
Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta and malls in Pantai Indah Kapuk,
West Jakarta.
The latter, especially, has been blamed by environmentalists
for having contributed to the extensive flooding that occurred in
Jakarta early this year, which caused the death of about 30
people, disrupted the lives of more than 300,000 others and
caused some Rp 10 trillion (US$1.1 million)-worth of financial
losses.
The construction of new malls has therefore resulted in fewer
and fewer green and open areas, and fewer areas to function as
water catchments, as they become covered over by concrete and
buildings.
"That will lead to more flooding. The Jakarta administration
should increase green areas, but it looks as though the city
master plan is still far from ideal," said Ahmad Safrudin from
the Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment
(Walhi Jakarta).
The ideal percentage of green area should be about 30 percent
of the total area of the city.
However, data shows that green areas account for only 9
percent of the total area of Jakarta, or 63,744 hectares. As for
the 2010 city master plan, the green areas will be increased to
only 14 percent within 10 years.
Another environmental impact from the establishment of new
malls is air pollution.
Head of the Landscape Architecture department at Trisakti
University Rully Besari said the continual loss of green areas to
concrete would not only worsen flooding but also increase
atmospheric pollution.
"Trees also absorb pollutants from vehicular and industrial
emissions; therefore a lack of green areas in the city will
worsen pollution," she said.
The growing popularity of malls has also produced a social
impact.
Imam said that shopping malls created high consumerism on the
one hand, while on the other caused frustration or envy on the
part of the less fortunate.
"Therefore, the fast growth of shopping malls in the city
should be accompanied by the development of places designed for
the young generation.
"Places such as centers where young people can be creative or
do something positive. They could develop their talents and
hobbies like sports, the arts or music.
"In short, urban development should encourage citizens to be
more productive and creative, not just create an escapist society
through the existence of as many malls as possible," he added.
In the meantime, however, as the former are virtually
nonexistent, it is the malls that fill people's needs. At least
the need to escape, as the real world outside is hot and dirty.
That also goes for 15-year-old Gogon who lives in Ciledug,
Tangerang.
Along with his two friends, he wandered around Blok M Plaza in
South Jakarta.
Wearing faded T-shirts and old sandals, they were not brave
enough to venture inside the shops in the building.
"We're here only for window-shopping. We're not intending to
buy anything," Gogon said.
The boys then peered through a shop window, covetously eying
the international-brand sneakers displayed inside.