‘Respect identity of Plaza Low Yat’

Popular place: Crowds are often seen thronging the IT LIfestyle Mall to purchase products and services.

KUALA LUMPUR: The owners of Plaza Low Yat have called on the people to respect the name of the mall, saying it is not just a brand, but also the name of their late grandfather.

In a statement, Low Yat Group general manager Nyat Chin said there had been so much criticism towards the name, especially after a suggestion for a “Low Yat 2” mall was put forward.

“On July 11, a theft took place. It was captured on CCTV.

“Unfortunately, this regrettable incident spiralled into disproportionate heights,” he said.

He added that following the incident, there was a lot of anger and racist statements, and subsequently even a suggestion to set up Low Yat 2.

“To us, the owners of Plaza Low Yat, we would first ask that our name and brand be respected.

“People should understand that to us, the Low Yat name holds a value that goes far beyond its brand ownership or intellectual property – Low Yat was our late grandfather,” he said.

He added that the mall was not exclusive to the elite or any class of society or race.

“You can see clearly the many people who are attracted to the mall. It is a perfect reflection of the beautiful mixture of all the races and classes,” he said.

Separately, Nyat also said that the mall did not condone counterfeit products or any breach of ­intellectual property rights.

“As a landlord, our capacity to police such matters is limited,” he said, adding that society, consumers, civil society and the authorities would have to play their roles on the matter.

He said the owners would continue to cooperate with the authorities and also reach out to the relevant agencies to hear their thoughts on the matter.

“We want to ensure that what they have expressed is not misunderstood,” he said.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had earlier called for the setting up of Low Yat 2 for Muslim traders.

He, however, later clarified that the business space would not be known as Low Yat 2 and that he had only used the name as a reference.

The story of the Low Yat Group began in 1947 with Low Yat Construction Company Sdn Bhd, founded by the late Tan Sri Low Yat.

Low Yat was a pioneer of Kuala Lumpur’s development, overseeing the development of commercial buildings, hotels and property such as the Federal Hotel, Malaysia’s first international class hotel; the Langkawi Country Club, the first hotel in Langkawi which opened in 1973; and Plaza Low Yat.