Retail industry urged to create MCO action plan
Published on: Tuesday, March 24, 2020
By: Bernama
Photo for illustration only. (Bernama)
Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (PPKM) has urged its members to come up with appropriate and targeted action plans, including rental rebates, on a case-by-case, mall-by mall basis in response to the Movement Control Order (MCO).“While most malls remain partially open to provide essential services to consumers during the MCO, it is a most trying situation as both landlords and retailers are equally adversely affected but both parties have to collaborate to bear the unprecedented burden and pain together,” it said in a statement on Monday.
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PPKM estimated that the shopping mall industry would be faced with a loss of more than RM750 million due to the 14-day MCO, excluding the turnover statistics from the retail sector.
“This estimate takes into account super-regional malls, regional malls, neighbourhood malls, premium outlets and other shops that are allowed to stay open during this period, and excludes stand-alone hypermarket centres or supermarket centres in the street.
“There are also wide differences in the rental structure for different category of tenants and different malls, so each mall will have to create different win-win accommodations between their respective tenants,” it said.
The association said shopping mall operators have always assisted tenants in the past during challenging times, such as during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak and the 1997 financial crisis, adding that it would work out a positive way forward with tenants to mitigate the effects of the current scenario.
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