KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Tourists and locals have expressed their displeasure over the inaction of the authorities to address the pathetic condition at Dataran Merdeka.
The Malay Mail spent the last three days observing activities on the field after City Hall said the field was open for events but not to the public.
Our observations showed many tourists and locals taking pictures on the field. Children were spotted running on the field especially at night while petty vendors traded freely on the pavements despite the presence of City Hall officers.
Yesterday morning, we discovered horses, from City Hall’s horse unit, grazing on the field.Locals, however, were furious over the poor condition of the field and other infrastructure.
Taxi driver E. Gopalasamy said he was embarrassed to bring tourists to the area.
“I’ve been driving tourists to Dataran Merdeka for 35 years. The prestige of this landmark has been tarnished due to the ignorance of City Hall.
“Action must be taken to improve the field. It is an embarrassment to Malaysians.”
Senior lawyer Bryan Perera shared his disposition.
“It is bothering to see the field utilised for commercial use,” said Perera.
“The square should remain a sacred place. It is a heritage of the country and should be restored to what it was.
“It would be nice to see young children running on the field instead of allowing tents to be erected every weekend.”
Johorean Muhammad Zulfadmi was a sad man on his first visit to Dataran Merdeka.
“I see tourists everywhere but the condition of the field is sickening. City Hall must take immediate action as this spot is in the heart of the nation’s capital,” he said.
M. Logeswaran, a frequent visitor, believes City Hall should ensure no one steps onto the field.
“There are patches of dead grass all over the place. It looks dirty and ill-maintained.
College student Muhammad Asmadi said the square should only be open for the national day celebrations.
“It takes so much to maintain the field but it only takes one mistake to ruin the image of the city.
“An iconic site has been tarnished because of the ignorance of certain people,” Asmadi said.
Rizatul Akma, from Port Dickson, said he noticed the condition at the field had deteriorated over the years.
“City Hall must monitor and preserve this historical landmark for the future generation. How else they are going to know the history of our country if everything is destroyed?” she questioned.
“City Hall must keep a close eye on event organisers and initiate stringent conditions to ensure the field was not damaged. If they ignore the rules, penalise them,” she said.
Marketing executive Andrew Wong said the square should be treasured.
“City Hall should not lease out the landmark for events. It is a historical site, not a cash cow.”
