KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — The “Bangun KL: Ke Arah Kuala Lumpur Yang Lebih Sejahtera” initiative aims to encourage people to enter the capital earlier, thereby easing peak-hour congestion, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), Hannah Yeoh.
She said the initiative focuses on behavioural change through incentives and cross-sector collaboration to address traffic challenges more holistically.
“A good city is not just about how it looks, but how it functions in people’s daily lives. That is why we introduced Bangun KL. This is not merely a slogan, but an effort to change how the city moves every morning.
“We cannot remain comfortable with the old pattern where everyone travels at the same time and ends up stuck in traffic. Bangun KL is about redistributing the morning rush to make it more balanced and humane,” she said.
She said this to reporters at the launch of the programme here today, which was also attended by Federal Territories Sports Council chairman Datuk Stuart Ramalingam and Zus Coffee Group chief operating officer Venon Tian.
As part of the initiative, held in collaboration with Zus Coffee, 250 Zus Coffee outlets across Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya are offering discounted drinks to customers who make purchases between 7am and 8am via the company’s mobile application.
According to Hannah, an estimated 1.2 million vehicles enter Kuala Lumpur each morning, and redistributing even 10 per cent of that traffic to earlier hours could significantly improve overall traffic flow.
She added that Bangun KL forms part of the long-term strategy to enhance urban living by promoting a better balance between working hours, health and social well-being.
On the ministry’s broader direction, Hannah said the first 100 days will prioritise strengthening governance, improving community access, enhancing Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)-related applications, expanding green spaces, and fostering collaboration with agencies such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Malaysian Competition Commission (MyCC).
She also indicated that the government is open to expanding the incentive-based approach to other sectors, including exploring time-based pricing models to encourage more flexible commuting patterns.
The initiative is expected to mark the beginning of a broader shift in urban management, driven by stronger collaboration between the government, private sector and the community to create a more efficient and prosperous Kuala Lumpur. — Bernama
