Binting
Mall makes you
more beautiful. |
MALAYSIA MEGA SALE
Stock Up on
Plastic –
The Future Is Shopping!
Story and Photos by Tim Boxer
have been to
Malaysia and seen the future: Shopping! Three times a year –
March, August and December – this multiracial land soars into
commercial spin. It’s the monster Mega Sale, when merchants all
over this tropical paradise slash prices by up to 70 percent while a
supportive government revokes the sales tax.
The temptations are
enormous. Be sure to pack plenty of plastic with your passport.
In August I found Malaysia
teeming with visitors from all around the globe, especially the
Middle East. During July and August, when temperatures soar in the
triple F. digits in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait,
most people close shop, pack up and take Malaysia Airlines to a
summer vacation.
The destination of choice
this year is Malaysia. During the rainy season from June to
September, the temperature hovers in the 80s, but that’s not as
searing as on the Saudi sand plains.
The official kickoff of the
August Mega Sale was held in lively carnival spirit on the streets
of Kuala Lumpur, the ultramodern capital. Travel agents and media
types from Russia, Iran, China, Thailand, Japan and beyond –
including California and New York – came
to partake of Malaysia’s imaginative foray in innovative commerce.
Datuk Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir,
Minister of Culture, Arts and
Tourism. |
“We want our event to
attract more foreigners to come and shop during the Malaysian Sale
Carnival,” declared Datuk Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, Minister of
Culture, Arts and Tourism.
The objective is to create
Malaysia’s very own shopping season, and make the country a
leading international shopping destination by 2003.
So forgo your trips to the
suburban mall and countryside warehouse outlets. Come to Malaysia
for a thrilling shopping experience and you’ll save enough cash to
treat yourself to a grand vacation at the same time.
During the month long
shopping spree (actually until September 20), virtually the whole
country is on sale. More than 40 shopping centers are participating
with discounts up to 70 percent. Expect to find truckloads of
unbeatable bargains at most retail outlets and shopping malls, plus
steep discounts at hotels and resorts. See www.malaysiamydestination.com/megasale.
At the Mega Sale launch,
gorgeous Malay models showed off the creations of 18 local designers
in a musically rocking fashion show that knocked the socks of the
thousands of spectators swarming around the makeshift stage in the
middle of the street.
Multilevel Binting
Mall. |
Many of the exquisite gowns
reflected the traditional designs and culture of Malaysia. Among the
designers was Zang Toi, a Chinese artist born in Kuala Lumpur, now
living in New York. He is currently preparing a new collection for
Sharon Stone.
This was orchestrated as a
bold attempt by Malaysia to position itself as one of the fashion
capitals of the world. Yes, New York has additional competition.
On meeting the press,
Tourism Minister Abdul Kadir talked about the delights of his
country, inviting everyone to “come and see all of Asia in one
place.”
Malaysia is a multi-racial,
multi-ethnic, multi-religious country of 23 million. Though the
indigenous people are mostly Moslem, there are substantial numbers
of people who originated from China, India, Thailand who are Hindus,
Buddhists and Christians.
Mindful of press reports of
unrest in nearby Southeast locations (such as the Philippines),
Fadzir assured us that this is “a safe country for tourists.
Moslems in Malaysia are more of a moderate form. We love to sing and
dance.”
Shwing his a sense of
humor, the minister added, “There’s
bound to be one or two madmen – I apologize for them now.”
Cute cops on guard at
the mall. |
Malaysia is a
constitutional monarchy, the king’s duties being largely
ceremonial. Of the 13 states, nine are ruled by hereditary sultans
who elect a king from among themselves every five years. Federally
appointed governors head the other four states.
The majority in Parliament,
a Muslim party, governs in coalition with Chinese and Indian
partners. While Islam is the official religion, the constitution
guarantees freedom of worship to all citizens.
Offering a mini-lesson of
history, Fadzir recounted how Indians were the first to arrive,
followed by Chinese. Then came Arab traders, bringing Islam into the
country’s consciousness. From the western world came the
Portuguese, supplanted by the Dutch, who in turn were succeeded by
the British.
In the 1977 Asian financial
crisis, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) rushed to Malaysia’s
aid.
“We looked at their terms
and realized they would totally control our economy,” Abdul Kadir
said. “We decided to rely on our own resources. We told them, keep
your money, and we solved our own crisis.”
Petronas Twin Towers.
Need we say more?
|
I strolled the city
checking out a couple of the commercial complexes that Mega Sale
Carnival was meant to promote. First had to be the extensive Kuala
Lumpur City Center, the mother of shopping malls on this part of the
globe.
All your favorite luxury
names are represented here: Bulgari, Fendi, Ericsson, Motorola,
Nokia, Piaget, Tiffany, Mikimoto, Armani Exchange, Hermes, Prada,
Versace, Zegna, and on. In ths one mammoth building are banks,
pharmacies, bakeries, food courts, florists, beauty shops and
moneychangers. All it lacked was an inn.
Wheel chairs and baby
strollers are available free for three hours. They probably figure
that longer than that you’ll either max out your cards or collapse
from fatigue and excitement.
They’re probably right!
Towering above the complex
is the imposing Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest skyscrapers in the
world. It claimed the crown when it opened in 1997, surpassing
Chicago’s Sears Tower.
The two buildings rise up
88 stories. The observation tower is the skybridge linking the two
structures at the 41st floor. The view of the city from
this perch is breathtaking.
For another awe-inspiring
view of KL, treat yourself to a buffet dinner in the revolving
restaurant at the top of the Kuala Lumpur Tower. Completed in 1996
as a telecommunications tower, it is Asia’s tallest concrete
tower, and fourth highest in the world.
The restaurant makes a
complete revolution in 90 minutes. You certainly won’t get dizzy,
but you’ll have an unforgettable experience of the spectacular
ocean of sparkling city lights.
Bukit Bintang is another
shopping center not be missed. It’s situated on the Golden Mile of
KL, where Haagen-Dazs and Starbucks sidewalk cafes sit next to such
establishments as Planet Hollywood and Tower Records. On the same
street are several more top-end shopping malls.
Don’t miss the unique
opportunities in Chinatown. This exotic enclave is closed to traffic
in the evening when it’s transformed into a bustling
bargain center of stalls and booths hawking the latest videos and
CDs, electronic good, perfumes, T-shirts, clothes, shoes, and almost
anything else you may desire – from gems to coffins.
For local industry you must
go to the Central Market, a bazaar-style arts and crafts center.
This air-conditioned indoor emporium is a haven for souvenir hunters
and browsers.
See Travel
for sightseeing in Kuala Lumpur.
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