KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 ― The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) had to pick up a bill for RM700,000 worth of damages to plants used to decorate Dataran Merdeka here for the Independence Day parade on August 31.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah blamed the large number of people who attended the city parade for the damages, adding that many also left empty plastic drinks bottles and other litter behind, Sinar Harian reported today.
“DBKL is looking for ways to manage these issues as it is a challenge that we will have to deal with,” he was quoted telling reporters after hosting a media appreciation event at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel here last night.
Mahadi said DBKL will meet and discuss with the Communications and Multimedia Ministry ways to improve future Merdeka celebrations in the city.
Malaysia’s capital city was flooded with huge crowds of people last Wednesday eager to watch the 66th Merdeka Day parade in-person after celebrations for the past two years were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last Thursday, DBKL posted a video and several photos on Facebook that showed how the parade-goers had trampled on the decorative plants.
The photos also showed the large amount of litter left behind on the streets after the parade ended.
