Mall getting a makeover

A view of Mayang Mall in Bayan Baru, Penang.

THE Penang government will spend RM10mil to refurbish the Mayang Mall building in Bayan Baru and turn it into a Global Business Services (GBS) centre for investors.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the GBS industry had huge growth potential and needed a conducive business environment in order to flourish.

“The refurbishment works will include a major facelift of the building facade and improvement of shared facilities,” he said in his speech during the launching of GBS@Mayang at the mall’s atrium on Friday.

Most importantly, he said the infrastructure upgrades would meet the standards of the MSC (Multimedia Super Corridor) Malaysia Cybercentre.

About 110,000sq ft of office space will be made available once the refurbishment is completed in January next year.

“Penang is second after Klang Valley in hosting the most number of MSC Malaysia status-companies in Malaysia,” he said.

He added that GBS@Mayang was part of the state’s master development plan to offer conducive enterprise space and environment for investors and supporting talents worldwide.

He said a second phase, tentatively called ‘GBS by the Sea’ at Phase 4 of the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone (FIZ), would follow soon.

Penang Development Corporation general manager Datuk Rosli Jaafar said the rebranding of Mayang Mall was timely as it would create synergy and connectivity within the satellite township of Bayan Baru.

“Bayan Baru township was developed in the 1970s as an industrial town supporting and complementing the growth of the Bayan Lepas FIZ.

“Over the years, our industrial technology has grown by leaps and bounds as we move to high technology, R&D (research & development) and skilled labour force.

“Penang’s vision is to attract more GBS, both local companies as well as multinationals,” he said during a slide show presentation.