Lunch break closure at DBKL's open day leaves public frustrated
Kuala Lumpur residents who took time off during their lunch break to visit Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to check if their feedback had been included in the revised Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 (KLLP 2040) were left frustrated when they found the counter closed from 12.30pm to 2.30pm on Thursday (May 8).
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.
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