Neglected structure in KL city draws concerns

City Hall says it will be cleaned up while it explores solutions

AN abandoned structure, located close to popular tourist spots such as Chinatown and Central Market, stands out noticeably in the Lebuh Pudu area of downtown Kuala Lumpur.

The building with faded signs reading “@Cafe Jalan Bandar” and “Premium Kopitiam” is in a dilapidated state.

It is owned by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) under its Management and Valuation Department.

The structure appears to have been deserted for a while and shows signs of vandalism.

Despite its prime location, the place has been neglected.

The surrounding area is filled with litter, and the back part of the building has been secured with steel fencing by DBKL, presumably to prevent further acts of vandalism.

However, locals remember that the area used to be a bustling cafe four years ago.

“I used to come here for coffee every day before work,” said Maimunah Asri, a 32-year-old law firm secretary.

“But the cafe closed down during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is unfortunate. I really enjoyed the coffee here,” she added.

Steel fencing has been erected at the rear of the building to prevent vandalism.

However, another passer-by, who prefers to be known as Anu J, mentioned that the cafe’s popularity declined after the homeless started congregating in the area.

“The cafe was doing well for a short while, until the homeless started gathering in the area.

“And then, there was the (Covid-19) pandemic,” he added.

A cleaner from Alam Flora who regularly cleans the area confirmed that the cafe went out of business after the pandemic hit.

“A security guard overseeing the property informed me that every morning, he would find a pile of litter on the cafe’s doorstep.

“It’s the homeless; they sleep here every night and leave a mess behind,” he alleged.

Several business owners in the vicinity agree that the presence of homeless people in the area has negatively affected business.

“This is a prime location with high foot traffic, but everyone who comes here is in a hurry to leave because of the homeless,” said an unnamed hotel manager operating nearby.

“The homeless population has significantly increased due to a lack of enforcement by the authorities.”

Another business owner, identified only as Jay, said many of the shops are permanently closed.

“This place used to be vibrant.

“DBKL made many efforts to improve it, but unfortunately, during the pandemic, the homeless took over the area and made it their home,” he explained.

When contacted, DBKL’s corporate communications unit responded to StarMetro with a written statement, confirming that the building at No.8, Lebuh Pudu, is indeed a City Hall property that was previously leased as a restaurant to a third party.

“However, this was before the pandemic, and the tenants have since vacated the premises.

“We are currently exploring various solutions to address the situation at the location.

“In the meantime, we will ensure that the premises and the surrounding area remain clean and orderly,” said DBKL.