KUALA Lumpur Library (PKL), run by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), is reportedly open to everyone, following an incident where two refugee children were denied entry.

Activist and Yayasan Chow Kit co-founder Hartini Zainudin tweeted that a teacher from her foundation, who has been dealing with the library over the incident, informed her that the library is open to everyone.

“Update from our teacher who met with PKL. She said that the library opens to everyone and they are also looking forward to work with many other organisations,” Hartini said.

“Teacher told them that there are many children out there, especially refugees and stateless children, who are very keen to explore the library but many couldn’t do so, afraid of being rejected.

“They welcome them to register with the library and to do programmes together,” Hartini said in other tweets.

On December 28, Hartini tweeted that PKL turned away two of her refugee students.

She said the children had not even wanted to borrow books but only to read on the premises.

They were told they could not enter and the word “pelarian” (refugee) had allegedly been used by a staff member as a reason to deny them entry.

Hartini then said Yayasan Chow Kit, a non-profit organisation caring of children in the Chow Kit area, would start its own library. She received a swift response and offers of help and donations from Twitter users.

Today she said she was glad PKL had been open to discussion and improvements. She also suggested the library carry out sensitivity training for all its staff.

“Yet, we still want our own library too,” she said in another tweet. – December 30, 2021.