UMNO leader questions proposal to review KL running events over road closures

KUALA LUMPUR: UMNO Batu division chief Datuk Gulam Muszaffar Gulam Mustakim has questioned a proposal to review running events in Kuala Lumpur to minimise road closures and traffic disruption.

Gulam said Kuala Lumpur Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh should be aware that applications for road closures were not decided by event organisers, but approved by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and the police.

He said organisers were required to submit their event proposals, after which relevant DBKL departments would assess the paperwork, proposed routes and suitability of the events before approval was granted.

“The existing standard operating procedure (SOP) has been in place for a long time. Therefore, running events should not simply be blamed for road closures when the approvals are made by the relevant authorities,” he said in a statement.

Gulam was responding to Yeoh’s suggestion that permanent routes for running events be considered to reduce traffic disruptions caused by frequent road closures in the capital.

He sarcastically suggested that DBKL and police could, if necessary, only approve running events held at public parks or stadiums in Kuala Lumpur, where existing jogging tracks would allow such activities to take place without disrupting traffic.

“Just gazette Kuala Lumpur’s roads as prohibited areas for running events, just as the minister has been bold and firm in gazetting green areas for the people of Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

Gulam said the issue should also be viewed in the context of how authorities manage other activities that involve the use or closure of public roads.

He then questioned whether the minister would take the same approach if Bersih wanted to hold a street demonstration involving participants sitting or lying on roads and planned to close several routes.

“Would the minister allow that too?” he asked.

Gulam’s remarks come as the government considers ways to minimise traffic disruption from major running events in the capital, amid concerns over repeated road closures and their impact on motorists.