Lunch break closure at DBKL's open day leaves public frustrated
Many arrived to an empty counter marked with a "Kaunter Rehat 12.30-2.30pm" sign, forcing them to leave.
"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," said Shaquib Shakil, who arrived at 1pm.
"It's deeply disappointing. People made the effort to come here during their lunch break, only to find the counter closed," added Save Kuala Lumpur Chairman Datuk M. Ali, who arrived with a group of members at 2pm.
"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 9.30am to 4.30pm. There was no mention of a two-hour lunch break," Ali said, expressing his frustration.
Ali also remarked that three days is too short for public engagement, especially with the hours effectively cut short due to the lunch break closure.
He urged DBKL to extend the Open Day sessions for another week and consider rotating staff for lunch breaks to keep the counters open throughout the day.
DBKL is hosting a three-day Open Day session until Friday (May 9), aimed at providing the public with an opportunity to review the KLLP 2040 draft and see if their feedback was incorporated.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif told StarMetro that all necessary steps, including public participation and hearings, had been carried out.
DBKL plans to launch and gazette the KLLP 2040 this month.
"The Open Day is to inform the public about the draft plan and its changes. The public can see if their feedback was taken into consideration, as well as the reasons why certain changes were not incorporated," she said.
On the first two days of the Open Day sessions, residential groups, architects, town planners, and other stakeholders visited to review the finalised plan.
While some accepted the proposed changes, others expressed disappointment over the lack of clarity and the unexpected lunch-hour closure.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
14 hours ago
- The Sun
Fahmi pushes for Kampung Kerinchi residents' priority in housing ownership
KUALA LUMPUR: Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has called for priority housing ownership for original Kampung Kerinchi residents in projects like Residensi Wilayah and Residensi MADANI. Fahmi, who is also Lembah Pantai MP, suggested allocating 50 to 60 per cent of homes to second and third-generation residents displaced by rising costs. 'Many children from this area, including Persatuan Waris Kerinchi members, now live elsewhere, and this policy aims to bring them back,' he said after launching the Kampung Kerinchi landmark near KL Gateway Mall. The initiative is part of broader efforts to preserve the area's historical identity amid rapid urbanisation. Fahmi noted the landmark unveiling continues work started during his first term as MP. 'We plan another landmark at the village's second entrance and are discussing with DBKL to officially gazette Kampung Kerinchi,' he added. He urged collaboration between local firms like Touch 'n Go Digital and the community to create training and job opportunities for residents. Fahmi clarified that nearby developments like Bangsar South and Pantai Hillpark remain within Kampung Kerinchi's boundaries, ensuring locals benefit economically. Persatuan Waris Kerinchi chairman Baharuddin Hasan, 74, welcomed the landmark as a long-awaited tribute to the area's heritage. 'We want a symbol that reflects Kampung Kerinchi's identity, tracing back to Sultan Abdul Samad's era in the 1850s,' said Baharuddin, a fourth-generation resident. He emphasised the need to safeguard the village's history amid ongoing urban expansion. - Bernama
Malay Mail
17 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Lebanon warns against foreign meddling as Iran security chief visits
BEIRUT, Aug 14 — Lebanese leaders firmly rejected any efforts at foreign interference during a visit by Iran's security chief Wednesday, with the prime minister saying Beirut would 'tolerate neither tutelage nor diktat' after Tehran voiced opposition to plans to disarm Hezbollah. The uncharacteristically blunt remarks hinted at a changed balance of power in a country where Iran has long wielded substantial influence by funding and arming Hezbollah. The visit by Supreme National Security Council chief Ali Larijani comes after the Lebanese government ordered the army to devise plans to disarm the Tehran-backed group by the end of the year. Last week, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader had said the Islamic republic was 'certainly opposed' to the disarmament plan. 'We reject any interference in our internal affairs,' Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday, adding that 'it is forbidden for anyone… to bear arms and to use foreign backing as leverage', according to a statement from his office. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam was equally firm, saying in a statement: 'Lebanon will not accept, in any form, any interference in its internal affairs, and expects from the Iranian side a clear and explicit commitment to respect these principles.' Hezbollah has been a key part of Tehran's so-called axis of resistance against Israel, but Iran and its allies have suffered a series of blows. Hezbollah experienced devastating losses, including the death of its leader Hassan Nasrallah, over more than a year of hostilities with Israel that ended with a November 2024 ceasefire. A month later, longtime Syrian ruler and Tehran ally Bashar al-Assad was ousted, depriving Hezbollah of its main conduit for weapons and supplies from Iran. And finally, Israel went to war with Iran itself in June, with the United States stepping in briefly to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities. Ever since last year's war, Hezbollah's firm grip on Lebanese politics has been slipping. 'Grave sin' Hezbollah has slammed the government's new disarmament push as a 'grave sin', while Tehran has also declared its opposition. But in Beirut, Larijani said that no foreign power should give orders to Lebanon, adding that it was not Iran but the United States that was intervening. Lebanon's cabinet recently considered a US proposal that included a timetable for Hezbollah's disarmament, with Washington pressing Beirut to take action. 'Any decision that the Lebanese government makes in consultation with the resistance is respected by us,' Larijani said. 'The one who interferes in Lebanese affairs is the one who plans for you, gives you a timetable from thousands of kilometres away. We did not give you any plan.' Salam, however, appeared to make clear the changed nature of the relationship, declaring that 'Lebanon's decisions are made by the Lebanese themselves, who tolerate neither tutelage nor diktat'. 'Lebanon, which was the first defender of the Palestinian cause and paid a heavy price in its confrontation with Israel, has no lessons to receive from anyone,' he continued. Iran's government has long portrayed itself as a defender of the Palestinians, with Hamas in Gaza another member of its axis. 'Stand by' Lebanon Before the latest war with Israel, Hezbollah was believed to be better armed than the Lebanese military. It long maintained it had to keep its arsenal in order to defend Lebanon from attack, but critics accused it of using its weapons for political leverage. In Beirut, Larijani vowed continued Iranian support. 'If… the Lebanese people are suffering, we in Iran will also feel this pain and we will stand by the dear people of Lebanon in all circumstances,' Larijani told reporters. In addition to meeting President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam, Larijani was due to sit down with parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who is close to Hezbollah. He was also expected to visit the grave of Nasrallah, who was killed in a massive Israeli bombing in south Beirut last year. — AFP
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Public feedback still required for key projects, says DBKL
DBKL said it is committed to public engagement, transparency, and inclusive decision-making in urban planning. PETALING JAYA : New planning regulations for Kuala Lumpur will continue to require stakeholder consultation, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said today. DBKL said although formal objections to the Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 (PTKL 2040) no longer apply following its gazettement on June 11, it remains committed to best planning practices through the implementation of Rule 3 of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Planning Rules 2025, which mandates stakeholder consultations. It explained that such consultation is required for specific types of proposed developments, such as high-density projects or temporary developments, which require public feedback before approval is granted. 'Additionally, every approved development project in Kuala Lumpur is required to implement a communication strategy covering the pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases,' it said in a statement. 'This ensures that developers engage with nearby residents to clearly explain the planned development and the benefits it will bring to the local community.' DBKL said these measures reflect its ongoing commitment to public engagement, transparency, and inclusive decision-making in urban planning. It was responding to criticism by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok over the 'secret' gazettement of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Planning Rules 2025, which took place on June 13 and became effective three days later. Kok said the rules, which replace decades-old planning laws, weaken transparency and limit public objections to development projects. In its statement, DBKL said it remains dedicated to ensuring that the city is developed in an organised, inclusive, and liveable manner, with public input serving as a key foundation of its planning process. It also stressed that PTKL 2040's preparation was carried out transparently and in full compliance with legal provisions, with all stakeholders given the opportunity to provide input. It said it implemented a variety of publicity and public engagement methods to ensure broad community participation in line with Sections 14 and 15 of the Federal Territory (Planning) Act 1982. The public participation period began on Jan 31, 2024, was extended twice, and ended on April 15, 2024, it said. During this time, DBKL said it hosted permanent and mobile exhibitions across Kuala Lumpur and conducted 13 public briefing sessions, including ones involving Kuala Lumpur MPs. It also said it went beyond the legal requirements by conducting more engagement sessions than required under the Federal Territory (Planning) Act. Fifty-one engagement sessions involving more than 1,500 individuals and groups were organised. The participants included academics, MPs, professionals, residents' associations, government bodies, and local authorities. These engagement efforts spanned several years and formats, and included early pre-consultation sessions in 2019, informal meetings with MPs in 2020, and technical meetings with 32 government bodies. DBKL also said it gathered feedback through online surveys from 300 residents' associations, hosted focus group discussions with 521 participants, held consultation sessions with MPs in 2023, and organised an open day for the draft amendment in May.
