Residents are slamming the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for closing up shop for a two-hour lunch break during its Open Day sessions. These public sessions hope to receive feedback from the public on the draft of the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 (KLLP 2040). Their Open Call lasts until May 9th! This is an important opportunity for the public to look at the draft plan and start to understand how their feedback has been incorporated.
DBKL intends to officially launch and gazette the KLLP 2040 by the end of this month. Don’t miss our three-day Open Day extravaganza! We’re asking local community members, architects, town planners, and other stakeholders to really dig into the completed plan. Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif reiterated that the team went above and beyond to engage the public during the creation of KLLP 2040. This commitment strengthens transparency of operations, encouraging deeper community engagement.
Despite these efforts, frustrations arose when the counters at DBKL were closed from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM. As many residents who moved here during this era departed, they did so without having the chance to read the key plan’s scorecard. Shaquib Shakil, who came at 1 PM to see what was happening in his neighborhood, said he was let down.
“I came here to find out about developments in my neighbourhood, which borders the Batu and Kepong parliamentary constituencies, and was surprised that the counter was closed,” – Shaquib Shakil.
Save Kuala Lumpur Chairman Datuk M. Ali went on to express similar sentiments as he arrived at 2 PM. He publicly condemned the closure, arguing that it was counter to DBKL’s professed statement of commitment to public consultation and participation.
“It’s deeply disappointing. People made the effort to come here during their lunch break, only to find the counter closed,” – Datuk M. Ali.
He called on DBKL to extend the Open Day sessions for at least another week. He proposed shifting of staff during lunch breaks to ensure counters remained open throughout the day. His remarks underscored how important it is for people to be able to easily understand when someone is open.
“DBKL promotes transparency and public engagement, yet when we show up, the doors are shut. According to their media announcement, the Open Day was supposed to run from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. There was no mention of a two-hour lunch break,” – Datuk M. Ali.
The first two days of the Open Day sessions were open to all stakeholders interested in checking out and providing feedback on the KLLP 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan. Participants were looking to learn more about how their feedback submitted during the development of the draft had shaped the finalization of that draft.
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