From second left, Melissa, Mohamad, Onn Norshal, Susan, Xin, Vanessa and others jointly launch the construction of 10Star Cinema at Parklane City.
PAPAR (May 27): 10Star Cinemas Sdn Bhd will invest close to RM5 million to establish its seventh cinema in Sabah at Parklane City here.
Its chief executive officer Onn Norshal Hamzah said the cinema is expected to commence operation in March next year with a total capacity up to 500 seats.
“The cinema will have six halls – two halls with 120 seats each and four halls with 70 seats each.”
He said the company invests in the latest projectors and sound systems in its cinemas.
On the reason Parklane City was chosen, he said the company has done its feasibility study on the location and found it to be very attractive as people now are moving to new townships.
He said the cinema in Benoni will be built to its requirement in terms of layout and structure to provide customers with the best movie experience.
“We will be occupying eight ground floor units with 18-feet high ceilings. One unit will be the lobby, another for office and kitchen, while the remaining six units are the cinema halls,” he said after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WSG Properties Sdn Bhd for the lease of the units at Parklane City on Friday.
WSG Properties were represented by its director Datuk Susan Wong Siew Guen and project manager Vanessa Wong.
Onn Norshal said 10Star Cinemas Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Melewar Group Company, was established in July 2021 and opened its first cinema in Tawau in December last year and subsequently in Sandakan in March this year.
The company plans to establish new cinemas in Tawau, Sandakan, Kota Marudu, Semporna and Papar this year.
“Next year, we are looking at Keningau, Beaufort, Putatan, Kundasang, Ranau, Kinarut and Lahad Datu.
“We have set a target to operate 19 cinemas in Sabah by the end of next year, which will make us to the largest cinema chain in Sabah.”
Onn Norshal, who hails from Tawau, said the company aspires to build a ‘cinema community’ by establishing cinemas in shoplots yet offering the same experience and environment as the standard cinemas.
He said the company also supports local filmmakers by screening locally-produced movies, as well as providing space for buskers to perform.
Meanwhile, Susan is pleased that Papar will have its first cinema after 50 years.
She said her 92-year-old mother, Datin Seri Panglima Chen Si Mui, often talks about her childhood in Papar, including memories of going to the cinema which has been closed for more than 50 years.
When Susan bought the 100-acre land from her mother’s saviour, Kapitan Chen Chee On, to develop Benoni Commercial Centre and Parklane City, she is determined to realize her mother’s dream of reviving the cinema in Papar.
“I am very happy to be able to make my mother’s dream a reality with the signing ceremony of the MoU with 10Star Cinemas Sdn Bhd today.”
In conjunction with the opening of the cinema, Susan said she has reached out to “The Rise of Lion” movie producer and director, Michelle Xin, to make a movie on her mother’s life story.
Also present were Melissa Wong and 10Star Cinemas Sdn Bhd cinema operation manager Mohamad Zhafri Mohamad Tahir.