"Falling panels, water leaks & a lift breakdown" — 118 Mall Draws Complaints Days After Grand Opening

Last Saturday (1 November), the Klang Valley welcomed another major mall opening with the launch of 118 Mall. The seven-storey shopping centre is located at the base of Merdeka 118, the world's second-tallest skyscraper.

One of the mall's standout attractions is The Atmosphere, a 20,000-square-foot event piazza located on Level 4 above the retail floors. The space features an impressive 88-metre-tall glass dome that allows natural sunlight to flood the area.

Image Credit: 118 Mall

However, just two days after its official opening, the mall has already come under scrutiny following reports of several issues.

Falling panels & water leaks

In a video shared on social media, a user known as @briankl highlighted several problems he encountered during his visit to the mall.

At the start of the video, panels that appeared to be blocking off an unfinished retail lot were seen collapsing onto a public walkway. According to the video's caption, several people who had been standing nearby managed to move away moments before the panels fell.

Security personnel were later seen attempting to secure the panels and prevent further movement.

The video also showed water leaking inside the mall, reportedly from a decorative fountain feature. In addition, water appeared to be leaking from the ceiling directly above the fountain.

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Alarm sounded, faulty escalators & elevators

As if those issues were not enough, another video circulating on TikTok highlighted additional problems experienced at the mall.

Among the incidents reported were fire alarms sounding throughout the building, with dust and smoke visible in one section of the mall. There were also claims of brief power outages affecting certain areas of the shopping centre.

The mall's escalators and elevators were reportedly affected by technical issues as well. One family was said to have been trapped inside an elevator for approximately 40 minutes.

Was the opening rushed?

While the series of incidents has raised concerns among many Malaysians, some netizens have also questioned whether the mall's opening may have been rushed.

Beyond the reported mechanical and operational issues, some visitors expressed disappointment with the mall's current tenant mix, noting that only around half of the planned retail units were open during the launch period. Several other outlets are reportedly scheduled to open later this year.

As discussions continue online, many are now hoping the issues will be resolved quickly as 118 Mall settles into its first weeks of operation.

Featured Image Credit: @briankl | Threads