DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Surabaya malls fenced, sparking fears of unrest

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Four major malls in Surabaya, Indonesia, owned by Pakuwon Group, have been surrounded by high fences, sparking speculation among netizens about potential unrest.
  • Online users linked the fencing to fears of looting and riots driven by economic crisis and declining public purchasing power.
  • Management denied these rumors, stating the fences are purely for visitor safety and not related to any anticipated disturbances.

Speculation is rife among netizens in Surabaya, Indonesia, after four major malls, all part of the Pakuwon Group, were suddenly enclosed by high fences. The unusual security measure, with fences reportedly reaching 2.5 meters, has led to widespread online discussion, with many users linking it to fears of impending riots and looting amid economic hardship.

The malls in question are Pakuwon Mall Surabaya, Tunjungan Plaza, Royal Plaza, and Pakuwon City Mall. Online commentators have pointed to the declining public purchasing power and the ongoing economic crisis as potential triggers for civil unrest and large-scale looting, suggesting the fencing is a preemptive measure against such events.

Nonsense, what is going to happen in Surabaya?

— Sutandi PurnomosidiThe Director of Pakuwon Group dismisses speculation about unrest in Surabaya.

However, the management of Pakuwon Group has vehemently denied these speculations. Sutandi Purnomosidi, Director of Pakuwon Group, issued a statement explaining the rationale behind the fencing. He dismissed the rumors as baseless, questioning what kind of disturbance Surabaya might be anticipating.

Purnomosidi clarified that Pakuwon Mall, which has been open without fences since 2017, is now being fenced due to safety concerns. He cited the mall's extensive open area, approximately 1.5 kilometers, as a potential hazard for visitors crossing the grounds. "The point is, Pakuwon is not a fortune teller. We don't know what will happen," he stated, emphasizing that the installation of the fences is purely for the safety of mall visitors and not in anticipation of any specific negative events.

The point is, Pakuwon is not a fortune teller. We don't know what will happen.

— Sutandi PurnomosidiThe Director of Pakuwon Group emphasizes that the fencing is for safety and not predictive of events.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog