MP questions practicality of DBKL’s RM10.5m bikeway project

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) ongoing bicycle and pedestrian pathways project in Kepong is coming under scrutiny from the local MP Lim Lip Eng.

The DAP lawmaker said while the government’s intentions of promoting an active lifestyle and low-carbon transportation are commendable, it failed to think through the practical aspects of the RM10.5 million project.

He said the government should have considered Malaysia’s climate and safety concerns before moving ahead with building the six-kilometre-long pathways.

“In Kuala Lumpur, the weather is very hot. You dress nicely and put on perfume, but as soon as you ride a bicycle to work, you're covered in sweat. Nobody wants to do that,” said Lim (above).

Using a member of his staff as an example, he said she could walk to the office in 15 minutes but uses an e-hailing service instead. She only walks home after work.

“I asked her why, and she said that walking to the office makes her all sweaty,” Lim said.

Traffic safety

Lim also raised concerns about traffic safety. Even with zebra crossings, Malaysian drivers often disregard them and would not yield to pedestrians.

“Whether this plan would become a ‘white elephant’ or a waste of public funds, people can see it for themselves,” he said.

Lim also questioned the high construction cost of the project.

“You can do the math yourself: RM10 million divided by 6km. It's a waste of money.”

According to Lim, the DBKL has approved 21 projects in Kepong, with the pedestrian and bike pathways being among them.

“Kuala Lumpur has 10 constituencies. If each constituency has a similar plan, how much money is RM10.5 million times 10?”

Lim opined that the relevant minister or city planners did not hold public engagements before moving ahead with the project.

“I don't know which minister, mayor, or official… Did they engage road users such as bicycle enthusiasts, and residents’ associations, when they proposed the plan? Did they consult them before implementing this RM10.5 million, six-kilometre plan?” he said.

Lim said this during a press conference this morning at the project site. During this on-site inspection, he invited DBKL officers and project consultants to respond.

The DBKL officer replied that construction began in September 2022 and is slated to be completed on Dec 21 this year, for a duration of one year and three months.

Project’s status

Lim also asked the officer to provide updates on the project's status and progress to the media.

The officer, who asked not to be named, explained that the six-kilometre pathways are divided into three segments.

The first is a 2.3km segment starting from Jalan 11A, Kampung Melayu. The second segment passes through Jalan Metro Perdana Barat in Kepong Baru and is 1.7km long. The third segment is 2km long and connects to the Kepong Baru MRT station.

However, the project only provides pedestrian and bike pathways on both sides of the road in the second segment. For the first and third segments, the pathways will be built only on one side of the road.

The officer also said that the project is currently 65 percent complete, while the remaining 35 percent is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

To a question from Lim on why there is no signage to distinguish between the bicycle and the pedestrian pathways, the officer said the issue will be resolved by the time the project is completed.

Since the project is more than half done, Lim suggested that DBKL should consider planting trees on both sides of the pathways or building shelters to provide shade.

“Who would want to ride a bicycle while exposed to the sun?” he said.

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