KUALA LUMPUR: Mall operators are urging the government to consider measures to ease rising operating costs for shopping malls, including extending electricity cost protection under the Automatic Fuel Adjustment (AFA) mechanism and reducing the Sales and Service Tax (SST).

Sunway Malls group managing director H.C. Chan, who is also an adviser to the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association, said electricity charges and SST were among the group's key wishlist items for the 2027 Budget, as higher operating costs continue to weigh on the retail industry.

Speaking to the media at the Sunway Ipoh Mall Key Tenant Unveiling, Chan said the government should consider extending electricity cost protection measures beyond households to shopping malls, given the significant amount of electricity required to operate large retail complexes.