Although the shutters come down, the piped music is silenced and the lights are dimmed, the mall is still a hive of activity as workers spring into action attending to various tasks that can only be carried out once the mall is emptied of shoppers.

First up is the all-important cleaning crew, who immediately get to work, plugging-in their automatic machines to scrub the floors clean of dirt and grime that steadily built-up during the busy shopping day.

Watch the video here.

Simultaneously, security personnel begin the most important task of all – that of ensuring that every single shopper has left the premises.

A separate crew made up of maintenance and retail operators also kick into gear, servicing all the equipment in the building to ensure everything is in good working order for the next day’s steady stream of shoppers.

Sunway Pyramid’s director of operations Tam Weng Sun said there are usually around 70 people who work the night shift, covering a mall that is two million square feet of net lettable space.

He said although the mall is closed to the public, construction work of every manner takes place inside and security plays a vital role in making sure that all workers are checked in for safety precautions.

“Construction workers have to go through some of the approval processes such as having their work permit before they can come into the shopping mall (to work),” he said.

Tam said it is also the responsibility of the security personnel on duty to watch over the various shoplots in the mall by patrolling all areas and manning the camera systems to make sure nothing is amiss.

Sunway’s police assistant Zulkifli Mustaffa said it is harder to work the graveyard shift as compared to the morning shift as there is a need to be extra alert when patrolling the premises at night.

“I have to be more sensitive just in case something unforeseen happens. In fact, it is riskier to work at night as compared to the morning. Usually, tenants or other customers can call the control room if something happens (during operation hours).

“But when we work at night, we are the only ones who can identify a (bad) situation. We have to be more alert,” he told FMT.

Security issues aside, Tam said maintenance works such as servicing or repairing air-conditioning units and electrical equipment can only be safely carried out at night once the mall is off limits to shoppers.

Senior supervisor of technical services Mohammad Fakhrul Radzi said the servicing of air-conditioning units was carried out only after the shopping mall was closed off to customers as it involved shutting off the system completely so the washing of filters and motors could be carried out unhindered.

He said these jobs were important to ensure that the air-conditioning system operated efficiently for the comfort of shoppers the next day.

“I also take care of the electrical system by ensuring power supply for the shops in the building is sufficient,” he said, adding that this was crucial to prevent the possibility of a fire breaking out should there be an electrical short circuit.

Then there’s the all-important issue of hygiene and safety known as ‘retail servicing’. Tam explained that every night, the shopping mall’s food and beverage outlets undergo pest control treatment.

“In any food outlet, you tend to attract pests. Therefore, regular treatment is needed,” he said.

Besides pest control, there is also the pressing job of cleaning all toilets as well as common areas in the shopping mall that experience heavy foot traffic during business hours.

The car park area is also cleaned after operation hours as there is little to no disruption from passing vehicles and pedestrians, especially children.

Housekeeping supervisor Hemanathan Muthusamy said cleanliness in a shopping mall is vital for customer satisfaction. “It is very rewarding as we make sure our customers have the best experience and that they are comfortable.”

When asked to recount a funny experience he had after working in the mall for the past seven years, he said: “Some customers have accidentally dropped their phones in the toilet (bowl). So, we are happy to help them retrieve their phones.”