The massive development of shopping malls in Sabah

I still remember my first visit to Sabah about 6years ago. It was all about the greenery landscape and the fresh scents of sea water of south East Asia’s coast. At that time, the only thing come in mind is to witness Mount Kinabalu with my own very eyes. Sabah is known with its beautiful and enchanting landscape and its unique multicultural ethnics. Visitor from foreign countries come to Sabah relying on those factors. They are willing to fly many miles just to experience the uniqueness of Sabah. I felt disappointed with my second visit here. Actually it is not a visit because I’m studying here instead. The developing of shopping malls seems to be massive and fast. Not that I’m against this kind of development, I mean its good for the people to be expose more to new development but instead of building shopping malls, why not building new school which can provide knowledge to the community that are not specific to certain ages or University or maybe a children development centre where their parents can drop their children while they are working. The bigger the centre, the better it is.

Nowadays we can see around us buildings are constructed for the purpose of entertainment and luxury. In Kota Kinabalu itself there are dozens of new construction for shopping malls. Suria Sabah, City Mall and I Borneo are the new shopping malls waiting to be open. What is the purpose of these malls? Doesn’t it all have the same items we need? Why not just build one containing everything instead?! How if the I Borneo that is located just 2 minutes from UMS fill with teens hanging around disturbing the authority of the University. How about gangsters, drug addict or maybe illegal activities that can affect the students? It’s not a healthy combination thou. But then, students don’t have to spend any money for transportation just to buy groceries nor needed items. They can eventually walk to the mall to get it, which is quite convenient.

Back to the uniqueness of Sabah, What is the purpose of these malls? (Again) why not create a centre where all the uniqueness of Sabah can be display? Foreigners come to Sabah not to buy common things that even in their countries are available. They don’t have any interest in going to the malls; instead they went to ‘pasar Filipina’ where everything is about the uniqueness, they can get sumpit, ethnic’s costumes and keychain that they can give to their friends and colleagues.

The major question here why does this building are being constructed? Sabah community overall only have a normal lifestyle where they owned salary just enough to support their family. They will not afford to buy things in the upcoming malls which are wholly expensive and luxuries. So, for whom those malls for? Doesn’t anyone think of that? I sure did. The government wasted our many for the sake of this kind of development. Whether it’s worth it? Just wait and see.