KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — In their hey-day, malls such Pertama Complex and Campbell Shopping Complex were vibrant and flourishing hubs of retail, commerce, and society, to the point of being landmarks in the city here. Today, these complexes, once emblematic of Kuala Lumpur’s early vitality, serve more as yardsticks to remind people off how much and how quickly the city has developed and left these former icons in relative decline. Built in the 1970s, Pertama and Campbell were among the first major shopping centres in Kuala Lumpur, representing modernity and sophistication at a time when Malaysia was beginning to emerge as an economic power in the region.
Pertama Complex, opened in 1976, is often considered Malaysia’s first modern shopping mall, catering to a growing middle class at the time, and was popular for electronics, sportswear, and leather goods. Located strategically along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the mall’s central location attracted both locals and tourists. Launched three years earlier, the Campbell Shopping Complex had also been considered avant-garde at the time.
Named for its location on Campbell Road that has since been renamed Jalan Dang Wangi, it once signified the advent of KL’s urbanisation, developing a reputation as the destination for high-end fashion, jewellery, and movies. At their height, a sea of faces would arrive each weekend from within the city, but often from beyond. Over the years, the torrent became a stream, then a trickle.
Now, tho.
