Kedah Mall Slammed On Social Media For Lack Of Benches

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Aman Central, a shopping mall in Kedah, is receiving backlash on social media simply for not providing benches for tired shoppers.

Most shopping centres place seats all around the premises to allow not only patrons but also the elderly and the disabled to have a place to rest. In fact, it’s actually more common to see benches in malls rather than not.

Many unsatisfied with mall’s lack of seating

One social media user complained that his elderly father, who was tired from walking, was forced to sit on the mall floor to rest. He then claimed a security guard approached them and told them that sitting on the floor was not allowed before shoo-ing them away.

“My father asked where the chairs are, and the security guard told him to go sit in the toilet. Mind you, the Aman Central toilets do have chairs but it’s smelly there. What’s so hard about getting chairs?” he said in a post on Threads.

Many in the comments section related to his complaint, and mentioned the same thing about the alleged lack of chairs or benches in Aman Central shopping mall.

Some also complained about the only benches available are near the toilets, and the only way to have a seat in the mall is at a restaurant, where they will have to spend money to sit in.

View on Threads

Another individual posted a photo of a man sitting on a festive installation with his child asleep in his arms, looking visibly uncomfortable.

“This was at Aman Central when there was a Raya event on the first floor. I saw this abang sitting with his daughter in his arms (I think she was sleepy) while patting her and after a while, he fell asleep on the spot too.

“I just wonder, why does Aman Central still not want to put chairs in. People have requested for chairs but they do other things instead,” said the Threads user.

One individual commented that people have been complaining about the lack of seats in Aman Central for years, but no action was ever taken.

View on Threads

Chairs are not the only thing people have complained about

Aside from the lack of resting spots around the mall, some have also complained about the smell at the mall’s toilets. A few Muslim patrons also claimed that the shopping centre’s surau (prayer room) has a musty smell and is uncomfortably stuffy.

Another common complaint, based on what people have posted on social media, is about the mall’s air conditioning, which many claimed don’t work all the time.

There is also speculation that the mall purposely does not provide seating as a strategy to encourage visitors to patronise its shops and restaurants, instead of sitting around at no cost.

Putting benches around a mall can actually increase customer spending

According to online marketplace Alibaba.com, placing benches around shopping malls can be of great benefit to itself and the businesses within.

The online shopping giant presented several key functions of benches in shopping malls:

1. Resting and Comfort – A primary function of shopping mall benches is to provide a place to rest for tired shoppers, especially the elderly and those with mobility issues.
2. Meeting and Wayfinding – Benches serve as natural landmarks and informal meeting points within large, complex mall layouts. Shoppers often use them as reference locations when coordinating with friends or family.
3. Social Engagement – Shopping malls are vibrant social spaces, and benches provide ideal vantage points for observing the environment. Many visitors enjoy sitting and watching the flow of people, fashion trends, and mall activities — a relaxing pastime that adds to the overall ambiance.
4. Dining and Food Court Support – In proximity to food courts and quick-service restaurants, benches double as informal dining areas. When dedicated seating is full, shoppers often use nearby corridor benches to enjoy their meals.
5. Promotional and Branding Opportunities – Some shopping mall benches are designed as promotional tools—known as branded or advertising benches. These feature logos, digital screens, or display panels from sponsors or retail tenants.
6. Operational Flexibility – Many mall benches are modular or stackable, allowing for easy rearrangement during events, seasonal changes, or maintenance. This flexibility supports dynamic space management, enabling mall operators to reconfigure seating layouts for holiday markets, pop-up shops, or performances.

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Kedah Mall Slammed On Social Media For Lack Of Benches
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