Kuala Lumpur’s iconic Central Market has closed temporarily, as the site begins three months of renovation and upgrades to its facilities and the building structure. This scheduled closure period began on 1st June and is slated to continue until 31st August.
During this time, Central Market Annexe will remain open for business as usual. The main building’s management have moved quickly to quell rumours that the site is closing permanently due to bankruptcy; reiterating that the closure is for renovation and structural improvements only.
“There has been a lot of negative perception that we are closing due to the current situation,” admitted a spokesperson for the market’s management in a statement last week. “But I would like to clear the air and say that we are merely taking this opportunity to carry out some much-needed upgrades,” he added.
These upgrades will include resurfacing and upgrading the market’s car park facilities, repainting the buildings and renovating some of the building’s mechanical and electrical systems. The aim is to welcome tourists, businesses and shoppers back when Malaysia’s CMCO has been lifted, so they can enjoy an improved shopping and dining experience.
Located on Jalan Hang Kasturi in Kuala Lumpur, Central Market is a gazetted heritage building that was built in 1888 by Yap Ah Loy. It began life as a wet market, but has since grown and evolved to host a wide range of goods and outlets. This latest series of upgrades is set to usher in a new era for one of the city’s most famous and popular tourism sites.
