COMMUNITY leaders in Brickfields are calling for the iconic Little India enclave to be designated a “no-banner zone”, following recent enforcement action against a local restaurant for illegal advertising.
The move comes after Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) slapped a RM2,000 compound on an outlet along Jalan Tun Sambanthan.
Enforcement officers visited the restaurant to remove unauthorised banners and bunting put up to promote its menu.
The fine was issued under Advertisement By-Laws (Federal Territory) 1982.
StarMetro had on Feb 20 reported that illegal banners hung on decorative arches and lamp posts had turned Little India’s cultural landmarks into advertising space, drawing calls from local stakeholders for enforcement by DBKL.
However, they now want City Hall to go a step further, arguing that occasional fines are not enough to protect the area’s cultural image.
Brickfields Heritage Association secretary Krishnan Karupan is pushing for a total ban on all commercial and political advertisements.
He believes the current clutter is a “visual intrusion” that undermines the government’s investment in the area.
“Whether it is restaurant menus, event promotions or political greetings, these banners have no place in Brickfields,” said Krishnan.
“What is the point of spending millions on landmark features if they end up surrounded by advertisements?
“Putting up a food advertisement next to the iconic Torana Gate is simply tacky and undermines the image we are trying to project,” he said.
The sentiment is echoed by Brickfields Business Community Society secretary Datuk Kumar Alagarsamy, who wants the area managed as a high-end tourism showcase.
He noted that other popular spots like Chinatown and Bukit Bintang had become social media sensations specifically because their streetscapes were clean and visually appealing.
“Visitors go there to take pictures of the lanterns and surroundings, and those images help promote the area on social media,” Kumar elaborated.
“But when people come to Little India, the decorative pillars and public structures are covered with promotional banners.
“We want DBKL to stop the visual clutter in Brickfields and focus on maintaining features like the Torana gateway and elephant fountain,” he added.
Local residents are also pushing for a shift in how enforcement is handled.
Brickfields Rukun Tetangga deputy chairman Rajendran Periasamy said a “no-banner zone” would only work if monitoring by authorities was constant.
If illegal materials were removed immediately, he said, business operators would eventually stop putting them up.
“If the banners are taken down each time they appear, people will think twice before putting them up again,” he said.
The scale of the problem is significant. StarMetro previously reported that DBKL carries out monthly enforcement operations, removing between 25,000 and 30,000 illegal banners and bunting on average.
Such advertisements fall under Advertisement By-Laws (Federal Territory) 1982 as well as Vandalism By-Laws (Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur) 1991.
