KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — The capital’s retail scene welcomed a new addition today with the opening of 118 Mall, a seven-storey shopping destination at the foot of Menara 118, the world’s second-tallest skyscraper.
Today’s opening adds another dimension to the Merdeka 118 precinct, which is being developed into a destination combining retail, hospitality and commercial offerings in the heart of KL.
The mall was scheduled to open its doors to the public at 11.18 am, in a symbolic nod to Menara 118, but eager visitors were allowed in earlier ahead of the official opening ceremony at around 10.30am.
Excitement was evident among early visitors, including administrative executive Lim Jit Hong, who queued before the mall opened to be among the first to explore its shops and attractions.
The 56-year-old from Cheras said he arrived via public transport around 9am, two hours before the mall’s slated opening, hoping to take advantage of promotional offers by various tenants marking its launch.
“I’m here for the free chicken! Nando’s is offering a free quarter chicken to the first 118 customers, and I also wanted to take advantage of Boost Juice’s opening promotions,” he told Malay Mail, gesturing towards the promotions listed on his mobile phone.
When asked if he was also interested in other tenants, Lim said he will be exploring the mall to its fullest once he has achieved his ‘mission’.
For civil servant Maizatul Akma, the opening of 118 Mall is a welcome addition to her weekend routine, which includes jogging at the nearby Stadium Merdeka, giving her another place to explore after her workout.
Maizatul, who is from Ampang, said she had been following updates on the mall’s opening on social media and was excited to finally see it open its doors after anticipating its arrival.
“After walking around, I would like to point out something very interesting that I have not seen in other shopping malls.
“It’s called the ‘Raincloud,’ a multi-level water feature with projected light displays. It just looks so pretty,” she said.
She said she was likely to make regular visits to 118 Mall, adding that she would definitely drop by after her weekly jogging sessions.
PNB president and group chief executive Datuk Rizal Rickman Ramli said the group never intended to build just another shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, but rather create a destination that reflected PNB’s values, offered something different and enhanced the city’s retail landscape.
“We believe we have done that. 118 Mall serves the needs of the precinct, from the people who work in the tower to those who will visit the wider development, while remaining open and accessible to the surrounding community.
“Merdeka 118 was never meant to be just a tower. It was always envisioned as an integrated precinct, and the mall is central to that vision.
“Its completion will be a welcome addition not only for the tenants in the tower, but also for the broader precinct and for Kuala Lumpur as a whole,” he said in his opening speech.
With 158 stores operating at its official opening and more expected to come on board in the coming months, Rizal said this reflected strong leasing momentum and retailers’ growing confidence in Merdeka 118 as a premier destination.
Also present during the opening ceremony were PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd chief executive Datuk Izwan Hasli Ibrahim and PNB group chairman Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda.
The mall currently feature a curated mix of international flagships and premium homegrown brands.
Among its key attractions is The Atmosphere, a 20,000-square-foot event piazza located on Level 4 above the retail floors, featuring an 88-metre glass dome that allows natural sunlight to illuminate the space.
