"What's Wrong With You?" – DBKL Chastises Public For Causing Them RM700,000 In Damages
Aside from trampled greenery, large amounts of litter were left behind by parade-goers.
By Jasmine Chea — 05 Sep 2022, 08:10 PM — Updated about 2 years ago
After two years of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's much-anticipated Hari Kebangsaan parade was one to remember as many people gathered to watch it at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur
There was much to see, such as police dogs marching in cute boots next to their handlers and handsome firefighters showing off their strong build to the adoring crowd. It's safe to say, this year's parade did not disappoint.
However, what was disappointing was the damage to the area surrounding Dataran Merdeka and Jalan Raja Laut, resulting in a RM700,000 loss for the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)
The aftermath of the parade was unfortunate as most of the greenery along the sidewalks was reportedly trampled by members of the public who wanted to watch the parade up close.
According to Sinar Harian, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah expressed his disappointment in the public who attended the parade and had no consideration for the plants and greenery around them. He also added that many plastic bottles were strewn around the area.
On Friday, 2 September, Mahadi made a statement to the media saying that DBKL will hold a post mortem meeting to discuss what can be done to prevent this issue from happening again.
"From there, we will come up with an action and solution plan if we hold another event at Dataran Merdeka in the future," he told reporters.
DBKL highlighted the matter on their Facebook page, chastising the public for 'tarnishing' the landscape of the surrounding area
In the Facebook post, it began with how proud it was to see Malaysians gathering at Dataran Merdeka to celebrate the country's 65th year of independence.
However, DBKL then expressed their frustrations with the public who left the parade in destruction after it was over.
"There were some who did not care for their surroundings and the beauty of the area at all. They didn't even feel bad about destroying the greenery that was planted beautifully. Showing support (for the country) is good, but this is not the way," the city hall wrote.
Many netizens pointed out that there were simply too many people and too little space during the parade so attendees had no choice but to stand on the plants
One user wrote, "There were too many people. There was no choice but to trample (on the plants).
Another user told DBKL not to blame the attendees for this incident, contending, "There were no regulations. There were too many people. You can't blame the attendees."
Other netizens suggested that DBKL should have been better prepared for an event as big as the Hari Kebangsaan parade and urged the city hall to arrange public events in a more orderly fashion in the future
"Next time, prepare the event properly. You invite people to attend the event but don't provide ample space for them to walk or gather. Next time, make a platform to cover the flowers and plants," one argued.
Another person commented, "The cost and possibility of damage (to the plants) should have been considered. Don't tell me this wasn't discussed in meetings. When events as big as this (Hari Kebangsaan parade) are held, you need to consider the number of people who would attend as well."
