A COUNTRY
Nobody beats Malaysia when it comes to shopping
WHEN Malaysians celebrate, there’s always food and fireworks. And, nationwide Mega Sales! Internationally, Malaysia is not very well known.
This is a fact. Mind you, this is a good thing. For obvious reasons, international media like to cover tragedies, bad news sell better than good news.
Thanks to a relatively stable economy and government, a lack of natural disasters and very few high-profile domestic misfortunes, the country rarely makes international headlines.
The worldwide community overlooks Malaysia all too often, unjustly so.
Concerning global financial exploits, for example, the tiny citystate of Singapore takes the top spot in the region.
Among international holidaymakers, Thailand’s beaches are more prominently established than local destinations.
In regard to historical and cultural distinction, China supersedes any other Asian countries.
But nobody beats Malaysia when it comes to shopping appreciation.
Admittedly, there are a few bigger complexes out there. However, the shopping experience, an emotional rather than a rational endeavour, is the true measure of great retail prowess.
Where else can the avid punter choose between an Egyptian pyramid, an interactive science museum, a “walkable” shark tank, a thrilling theme park and international ice hockey tournaments to aggregate purchasing enterprises with?
These exciting features, all within a few square miles of each other, would be reason enough to crown Malaysia, or Kuala Lumpur at the very least, the No. 1 shopping capital of the world.
Then, there are the festive seasons, and there are plenty of those in one Malaysian calendar year.
Centre courts, concourses and plazas are converted into fullfledged villages, winter wonderlands, mystical dragon lairs and more for the benefit of small children, selfie-stick obsessed newlyweds and spellbound tourists alike.
But wait, there’s more! While a Malaysian weekend is not complete without a window-shopping trip to the air-conditioned convenience of a retail complex and a movie night-out is unthinkable without a quick rest-and-relax stopover at the indoor food court, a festive celebration is inconceivable without a countrywide Mega Sale.
The National Tourist Board advertises “Malaysia, Truly Asia” by way of supporting four official retail sales carnivals each year.
Without fail, the prospect of exceptional bargain hunting draws hordes of fervent shoppers, locals as well as foreign visitors, into these modern temples of mercantile veneration.
In fact, many visitors to Malaysia would have to tick a box reading shopping rather than leisure on their Immigration cards prior to queuing at the airport, if such a distinction was made available to them.
And, so it happens that, four times a year, every woman needs a new handbag, new shoes, a kitchen appliance and some jewellery.
Four times a year, every man needs a new suit, sports equipment, a fancy watch and a suitcase to carry all these goodies home in.
And yes, four times a year, every child needs new toys, an electronic entertainment device or three, arts and craft supplies and branded clothing.
Families discover their dire need for a new sofa, or better yet, an entire new home décor.
The local retail industry is much obliged, of course, even if sale carnivals of such magnitude generate a huge amount of additional work like stocktaking, relabelling and reprogramming of point of sales software.
So much so that the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry had to announce late last year that it would limit the “Mega Sale” to four times a year, instead of the previous five.
Sales in Malaysia had become omnipresent. Customers, the ministry felt, were robbed of the feeling of joyous anticipation.
The rationale makes sense; who would await, say, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, with wide-eyed trepidation, if Raya came around every other day.
One of the “big four”, the Merdeka Sales Carnival ended a few days ago.
Some semblance of normalcy is being restored to the country’s trading landscape.
Percentage calculation skills can be put to rest for a while. Bargain hunters have to put some real effort into locating great deals.
But fret not! Only 59 days before the madness of the next Mega Sale is upon us again.
Two short months of languishing in the realm of full-price shopping until the year-end sale propels Malaysia to the Olympus of retail delight once more.
Happy shopping in the sales heaven that is beautiful Malaysia!