Surabaya Malls Suddenly Erect Fences, Sparking Public Speculation

Multiple major shopping malls under the Pakuwon Group in Surabaya, East Java, have unexpectedly begun installing fences around their premises, sparking widespread public discussion and speculation on social media. Many netizens have linked this move to anticipation of an economic slowdown, a notion the management has firmly denied. The malls involved include Pakuwon Mall in West Surabaya, Royal Plaza in South Surabaya, and Pakuwon City Mall in East Surabaya. CNN Indonesia observed that Pakuwon Mall now features a approximately 2.5-meter-high green iron palisade fence, separating the parking area and mall entrance from pedestrian access on the sidewalk. At Royal Plaza, construction of a fence, estimated to be around 3 meters high with concrete and pointed iron, was ongoing. Sutandi Purnomosidi, Director of Marketing for Pakuwon Group, explicitly refuted any connection between the fence construction and economic concerns or socio-political situations. "There is no anticipation of any kind. We are confident that Indonesia is safe and prosperous; the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) is absolute," he stated. He further asserted that the Indonesian economy and Pakuwon Group's retail business are performing well, with the first semester of 2026 showing strong growth. As a publicly listed company (Tbk), its financial reports are accessible, and he noted that retail sales remained robust during the recent two-week school holidays. Sutandi explained that each mall's fencing project has distinct reasons. At Pakuwon Mall, the fence is a safety measure to prevent accidents for pedestrians, especially following the completion of the new Radial Road. For Royal Plaza, the fencing is a replacement for an old structure that was nearly 10 years old and had become corroded, requiring a more robust material. Pakuwon City Mall also underwent similar replacements. He also mentioned that Tunjungan Plaza (TP) in Central Surabaya, due to its downtown location, will be the next mall to have a fence installed. This is partly for security during demonstrations often held near the Grahadi State Building, to avoid the need for security forces to repeatedly move barricades. Sutandi analogized the mall fences to those of private homes, emphasizing their primary function is security without necessarily implying a specific threat. He also pointed to the vast land areas managed by Pakuwon Group as a logical justification for constructing fences. Concluding his remarks, Sutandi expressed gratitude for the public's attention to Pakuwon Group's developments, reiterating that concerns about a sluggish economy are unfounded and that the company's financial and operational conditions are in line with projections. Source: CNN Indonesia