It seems like the only people who could want more malls in Jakarta at this point are mall development companies. Nonetheless, the capital is getting three new malls this year – this in spite of a moratorium on new malls enacted by former governor Fauzi Bowo and maintained by his successors Joko Widodo and Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.
“The additional lifestyle center and one-stop shopping centers were made possible because the developers had obtained permits prior to the moratorium taking effect at the end of the tenure of Governor Fauzi Bowo,” said Arief Rahardjo, head of research and advisory at property consultancy firm Cushman & Wakefield Indonesia, as quoted by Tempo.
The three new malls opening this year are Lippo Mall Puri @ The St. Moritz, Mal Pantai Indah Kapuk, and Central Park Ext.. Just outside Jakarta, a new Metro Wholesale Center in Cipulir is expected to open at the beginning of 2016.
Arief said the retail market in Jakarta is expected to grow by 5.4 percent over the next year. He also said overseas retailers such as Uniqlo were becoming an increasingly important part of Jakarta’s retail economy.
