Mayor mulls having car-free weekend in KL

(From left)Tey, Nor Hisham and Mansor planting the pokok melaka in Jalan Melaka. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star

KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is mulling having a car-free weekend, following the popularity of its KL Car Free Morning programme.

Mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said KL residents would be open to the idea of a car-free weekend in the city centre.

“One of the major causes of stress is traffic jams so this is one programme that can reduce stress.

“Since it was introduced in 2013, KL Car Free Morning attracts about 3,000 participants each time.

“But we will discuss further before making any decisions,” he said during a tree-planting programme yesterday.

Nor Hisham added that this was in line with its Greener Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley and Kuala Lumpur Low Carbon Society Blueprint 2030, which targets reduction of carbon intensity by 70%.

He said other initiatives like the Go KL free bus service had helped to improve the first mile/last mile connectivity.

“For example, since the new Setiawangsa bus route was introduced several months ago, it has helped to reduce at least 500 vehicles entering the city each day,” he said.

KL Car Free Morning is currently held on the first and third Sunday of every month.

Meanwhile, DBKL and the Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) celebrated 30 years of cooperation with the planting of two Melaka trees (Phyllanthus emblica).

MBMB gave 16 trees to DBKL, a symbolic gesture in conjunction with its 16th anniversary.

MBMB mayor Mansor Sudin and Nor Hisham planted two of the trees along Jalan Melaka in Kuala Lumpur, while the rest would be planted in other DBKL-owned parks.

Also present was Melaka housing, local government and envi­ronment committee chairman Datuk Tey Kok Kiew.