KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is identifying potential areas in the city to be designated as car-free locations following the successful implementation of the initiative at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR). 

Deputy federal territories minister Jalaluddin Alias said that one possible location is the area around the Federal Hotel in Bukit Bintang as it is a popular pedestrian spot. 

“However, we are still carrying out engagement sessions with stakeholders and the public and if successful, it will be announced later,” he said after launching the ninth CityNet Congress today, which was also attended by Kuala Lumpur mayor Mahadi Che Ngah. 

On August 28, DBKL announced that a stretch of Jalan TAR would become car-free every Sunday. 

Mahadi said all parties including traders and the public at large responded well to the Sunday closure of Jalan TAR, hence, DBKL is planning to organise more programmes and activities to enliven the area. 

He said a total of 230 local and international participants are taking part in the ninth CityNet Congress, aimed at establishing an international cooperation network between cities in the Asia Pacific that are members of CityNet. 

Themed ‘City for All: Activating Access for Urban Growth’, the congress is also attended by 25 mayors from 15 countries including Bangladesh, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as well as the mayors of Putrajaya, Seberang Perai, and Subang Jaya. 

He said in-depth discussions on climate change, disaster management, infrastructure planning, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will take place during the congress as an effort to develop resilient, liveable, and sustainable cities in the future while improving current urban conditions. 

“We will also take the participants to visit three locations in the capital, namely Wangsa Maju Green Technology Project, Kuala Lumpur SDG Centre and Razak Mansion which can be considered as DBKL’s success in governing Kuala Lumpur,” he said – Bernama, September 21, 2022.