BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Enterprise  >  Enterprise Explores  >  Mall-aysia: Why Are We Still Building Malls?

Mall-aysia: Why Are We Still Building Malls?

Amy Wong, Executive Director of Research & Consultancy, Knight Frank Malaysia

09-May-25 12:00

Mall-aysia: Why Are We Still Building Malls?

Online shopping keeps growing. People are spending more on experiences than things. So why are we still seeing new mega malls being built, sometimes just minutes apart?

Is there really demand, or is something else driving these developments? And what does it mean for retailers trying to manage rising rents and stay profitable?

Today, we speak with Amy Wong, Executive Director of Research & Consultancy at Knight Frank Malaysia, about what’s behind these large-scale retail projects, how they affect business decisions on the ground, and what they signal about the future of retail and real estate in Malaysia.

Produced by: Carol Wong

Presented by: Richard Bradbury


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  marketseconomy

Tags:  mega mallsretail destinationtourism recoveryexperience-driven retailneighbourhood retail mallslocal spending power





Play / Pause

Listen now : BBC World Service: This week on Science in Action, stories on a...

Today’s Shows



6:00 AM

The 6AM Stretch

Thought-provoking discussions on ideas, people and events shaping our lives.

7:00 AM

World Market Watch

Joseph Sroka, Chief Investment Officer, NovaPoint Capital tells us where international markets are heading.

7:15 AM

Morning Brief

We recap global and local headlines from today's papers and portals.

7:30 AM

Morning Brief

Lavanya Venkateswaran of OCBC discusses the economic impact of Vietnam's new trade deal with the US.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Lim Wei Jiet, Constitutional Lawyer on Judicial Appointments.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Sean Hesh, Group CEO of NTT Data Payment Services discusses business operations and more.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Dr. Zaher Sahloul, President and Co-Founder of MedGlobal discusses the shuttering of USAID.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

(REPEAT) Lim Wei Jiet, Constitutional Lawyer on Judicial Appointments.

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) Joseph Sroka, Chief Investment Officer, NovaPoint Capital tells us where international markets are heading.

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

Adrian Loh, Head of Research at UOB Kay Hian Singapore, unpacks what the STI’s resilience means for investors amid rising oil prices and global tensions.

9:35 AM

What's The Focus

We wrap up the week’s biggest conversations to keep you in the know.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

Alfred Phua, Founder of Vanilla Impact Story on reviving Malaysia’s heirloom vanilla industry and empowering rural communities through sustainable farming.

11:00 AM

Mattsplained

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

Mustapha Kamal, Urban Planner & Founder of Arkitek Mustapha Kamal on balancing heritage, economic revitalization, and inclusive growth in Malaysia’s old town redevelopment efforts.

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

Sean Hesh, Group CEO of NTT Data Payment Services discusses business operations and more.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

3:05 PM

Front Row

We speak with Brenda James, Chairperson of The Phil, about the inspiration behind Choral Bridges, a show bringing together The Philharmonic Society of Selangor and the Penang Philharmonic Chorus.

3:20 PM

Front Row

Burden of Proof, a powerful theatre production by Dabble Dabble Jer Collective, confronts sexual violence through storytelling, movement, music, and art. Inspired by real accounts and developed over three years, it fosters empathy, healing, and change. We speak with founding members Miriam Devaprasana and Ysabel Loh.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

Is generative AI challenging the traditional doctor-patient relationship, or conversely, enhancing it?

5:00 PM

Top 5 at 5

6:00 PM

Popcorn Culture

A double-bill review of F1 and Jurassic World Rebirth, followed by a discussion about movie moments that left us awestruck.

7:00 PM

BBC World Service

This week on Science in Action, stories on a major new telescope survey that have started in Chile while scientists are also beginning a project to create fully synthetic human chromosomes.

8:00 PM

Bar None

We unpack the conversation surrounding Enhanced Games and why it's a bad idea overall.

9:00 PM

The Selector

Covering all styles of music from indie, dubstep, folk, soul, electro and everything in between.