Penang studying suitability of pet-friendly malls after complaints

 

The Penang City Council is looking into the suitability of pet-friendly shopping malls within the state, following recent public complaints over the presence of pets, particularly dogs, in such premises.

In a statement today, the council said it has no specific regulations covering permission to bring pets into shopping complexes.

As such, it said it is studying the suitability of implementing pet-friendly malls, “considering public interest and the harmony of a multiracial society”.

Previously, a Facebook user had taken to the social media platform to share her discomfort upon visiting the Gurney Paragon Mall, where she said she encountered other visitors attempting to bring their dogs into lifts.

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The incident had also spurred Penang Amanah to call on the state government to review permissions allowing pets into enclosed shopping malls, with the party highlighting that such spaces are shared public areas used by families, senior citizens, tourists and Muslim consumers.

“From an Islamic perspective, dogs are classified as 'najis mughallazah' (severe impurity), and contact with them requires a specific cleansing process,” Fadzlee Daie, of the party’s syariah and dakwah bureau, was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times in a statement today.

“As most Malaysian Muslims adhere to the Syafie school of thought, the presence of dogs in enclosed spaces such as lifts, narrow walkways and dining areas raises legitimate concerns about cleanliness and religious observance,” he added.

Stressing that the feelings of discomfort or anxiety among Muslims in such situations should not be dismissed as intolerance, but understood within the context of religious obligations, Fadzlee also said that the matter raises concerns about public health and safety.

“Some individuals suffer from phobias, allergies or past trauma involving animals, while crowded mall environments can cause unpredictable animal behaviour,” he was reported as saying.

Control and enforcement

The Penang City Council further noted today that it had conducted a site visit to the Gurney Paragon Mall, with the session attended by the council’s mayor, A Rajendran, as well as other representatives of the council and the mall’s management.

During talks following the site visit, the council said it had emphasised improvements to strengthen control and enforcement, with such measures including the installation of larger, clearer, and more visible signboards in lift areas and at all entrances to the shopping complex.

It also proposed setting a weight limit, capped at 15kg, for pets allowed to enter the mall, with the animals to be transported using a stroller or carrier at all times.

Besides tightening existing security controls to ensure full compliance with all stipulated conditions, the council also said permission to bring pets into the mall should be limited to two days only, in line with the policy practised by the Gurney Paragon Mall’s management.

The council acknowledged that the mall’s management has existing internal regulations, including rules on how pets must be kept with their owners at all times within the shopping complex premises, must use special pet diapers, may only use designated pet-friendly lifts, and must ensure that pet waste is disposed of properly.

However, it stressed that the mall’s management bears the responsibility of ensuring that all regulations are fully complied with by visitors to safeguard public order, cleanliness, and the sensitivities of the general community.

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Sparking debate

Previously, a shopping mall in the Klang Valley reversed its move to allow pets on its premises, following the Selangor government’s reminder on a prohibition against such practices.

Subang Jaya’s Sunway Square Mall said it had updated its pet policy “with immediate effect” after the state directive reaffirmed by state executive councillor for local government and tourism Ng Suee Lim.

Prior to its announcement, the mall had sparked a debate on social media over its move to become the first shopping mall in Malaysia that officially allowed visitors to bring their pets into its premises.

Following the mall’s revised pet policy, however, Ng had later clarified that the state has “no specific regulations governing pets in shopping malls”.

The DAP politician also said that at present, many malls don’t allow pets as restaurants inside are required by the federal government’s Food Hygiene Regulation 2009 to ensure there are no animals within the premises. - Mkini