Vibrant nights at Merdeka Square

The facade of Sultan Abdul Samad Building attracted a hugecrowd during the Ramadan month,.

SINCE the closure of Jalan Raja at night, Merdeka Square has become a popular evening hangout spot in Kuala Lumpur.

That is good news for Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), which aims to promote night tourism, especially in this part of the city where the public can admire the artistically lit Sultan Abdul Samad Building flanked by the view of the Kuala Lumpur Tower.

On occasions, visitors can see Kuala Lumpur tower being lit by a variety of coloured lights.

When Tan Sri Ahmad Phesal Talib, former mayor of Kuala Lumpur, announced that the road would be closed from 9pm to 4am daily, it brought cheer to families as that offered a safer place for them to gather at Merdeka Square.

He wanted to make Merdeka Square a public space for people to hang out and do fun activities there.

And it looks like his vision is coming to fruition. Every night, public from all walks of life gather at Merdeka Square.

Families having fun as they snap photos or simply hang out in the area.

Children play football here as well as LED-lit toys, making it a vibrant surrounding with innocent giggles and laughter.

The large crowd, especially during weekends, had led several business-minded individuals to start selling other LED toys as well as beverages.

However, visitors are not supposed to eat and drink at the Merdeka Square.

Jalan Raja and Jalan Raja Laut have also been decorated with beautiful lights along with signs sporting “Selamat Hari Raya” greetings to ramp up the festive mood.

To encourage more buildings to participate in lighting up their respective facade as part of the Kuala Lumpur Lighting Master Plan, DBKL is working with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) to lower electricity tariff as incentive for building owners to beautify their properties around Merdeka Square.

TNB has agreed to reduce electricity tariffs for selected buildings from 20.8sen/kwh to 13sen.

This fountain is one of the cool attractions at Merdeka Square. Photos: AHMAD IZZRAFIQ

Such initiatives is good in providing a secure location for families to bond; previously the place was notorious for automotive enthusiasts to gather and race.

Currently, DBKL is working with Batu Road Retailers Association (Barra) to provide food trucks to operate along Jalan Raja Laut at night.

In the first and third week of every month, the food trucks will operate until morning to cater for the crowd that participate in the Kuala Lumpur car-free morning.

Free WiFi service at Merdeka Square will be fully operational in August.