A family having a full-blown picnic on the steps of a popular shopping mall in KL has left netizens divided.
The incident, which took place at a popular mall in Kuala Lumpur came to light after a netizen shared her experience on social media — describing it as “inappropriate,” especially given the high foot traffic and tourist presence in the area.
“Don’t normalise spreading out picnic mats in places that aren’t meant for it,” she wrote in a now-viral post.
“I went to the mall yesterday. There’s a proper outdoor area with a playground — a nice place to hang out. But then I saw this family laying out a mat and eating packed food like they were at the park... on the steps. Right in the middle of everything.”
While she acknowledged that some parks are great for picnics — suggesting alternatives like Taman Tasik Titiwangsa or Kepong Metropolitan Park — she argued that not every public space is appropriate for such setups.
“Don’t spoil places like this — there are tourists everywhere,” she added.
Reactions to the post have been mixed, with many agreeing that such behaviour should not be “normalised.”
“Enough with people selling stuff at lamp posts and taking photos at KLCC. Don’t have picnics like this — it looks so bad. Hopefully the guards chase them off or call DBKL,” wrote Akmal.
“In my opinion, if it’s just a single person or a couple having a bite, it’s still acceptable. But a whole family laying out food like that? That’s a no from me. No sense of shame,” added Dzaman.
Others, however, said the incident highlights a larger issue: the lack of accessible public spaces.
“This is a bit much, haha. But honestly, it just shows we need more parks, playgrounds, and recreation spots. Places where people can relax and lay out a mat. Even the Metropolitan Lake Park is overcrowded these days — it’s packed,” said one user.
