KUALA LUMPUR: The City Hall has been asked to review the closure of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman on Sundays as business owners are at the losing end due to the lack of foot traffic.
Bukit Bintang member of parliament Fong Kui Lun said most business owners were unhappy with the first trial closure last week as sales were not as brisk as they wanted to.
"Most of the shop owners had rejected this idea when it was proposed in 2019. It is troublesome to the people and they would avoid the area, resulting in a dip in business.
"Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, business has been affected and imposing the closure now is going to make things worse for them.
"City Hall should consider their hardship because they need to bear rental but yet business is not too good.
"They are already upset with last Sunday's situation. They are dreading the coming closure. It is going to be a nightmare for them and this is ridiculous," he told the New Straits Times today.
Fong added that if City Hall claimed to have consulted business owners who had given the greenlight prior to the closure, records of those who had supported and the segment of the stretch they are located at should be made known.
He said City Hall should conduct a survey with business owners to see if they supported the first closure.
'It is pointless if you (City Hall) enforce a policy that is disadvantageous to them.
"City Hall, the mayor (Datuk Seri Mahadi Che Ngah) and the Federal Territories should go back to the drawing board.
"I hope to meet the mayor soon to discuss this matter," added Fong.
Petty trader Azkhalim Suradi said while his business was good, he sympathised with the fate of larger businesses as they did not have as many customers on Sunday.
He attributed it to the lack of awareness on the closure and people who were taken by surprise by the move decided to head elsewhere.
"I saw many hotel guests having to walk a long way while lugging their baggage as taxis and e-hailing cars are not allowed in.
"This is very inconvenient to them as most of them would check-in on Friday to do shopping and leave on Sunday.
"City Hall should look into this and give leeway to the vehicles to come in," he said.
Despite the downside, the 50-year-old said City Hall's move to close the stretch was a step in the right direction.
He said it might take a month for the concept of vehicle-free Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and walking promoted by City Hall to sink in and for crowds to come.
"For the sake of our future, this is definitely the way forward. If other countries make their cities walkable, why not we? It is just a matter of getting used to it," he added.
City Hall on Friday said the closure of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman from Jalan Esfahan to Jalan Melayu junctions was aimed at making the stretch vehicle-free and to create a pedestrian-friendly walkway in the heart of the city.
It is in line with Kuala Lumpur's low carbon city vision.
The closure begins at 6am to 12 midnight on Sunday.