KL reforms take time, Hannah Yeoh says contracts and costs block quick fixes
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh today said reforms to improve Kuala Lumpur’s liveability cannot happen overnight, as even seemingly simple changes require negotiations with multiple stakeholders, existing contracts, and financial considerations.
Speaking during a panel session titled “Business vs Nature: Who Wins and When” at the National Climate Governance Summit 2026, Yeoh said residents often question why reforms are taking so long, but many fail to appreciate the complexities involved in implementing change.
“Everything takes time, right? Because every single thing has a contract involved. Financial implications, right?
“And everything must be free. Your business licence, 50 per cent discount will help. But who is paying the tax?” she said.
Yeoh, who is also the Segambut MP, cited the extension of operating hours at public parks as an example.
After City Hall extended the opening hours of parks such as Taman Titiwangsa and Taman Botani to allow residents to exercise before work and spend more time outdoors on weekends, authorities found new challenges that had to be addressed.
Among them were increased littering after late‑night visitors began using the parks as gathering spots, while toilets remained closed in the early morning because cleaning contracts only started at 8am.
“People buy food, there are kiosks and all that. So, people throw (rubbish), these are not the exercise groups. These are the people who come to the park and chill.
“Okay, so now we have to provide more dustbins. And then when you open at 5.30am, senior citizens will come. Every senior citizen needs their toilet nearby.
“And then I was told that the contract for the toilet, it’s 8am. So, 5.30am to 8am, there’s no toilet, it’s not open,” she said.
Yeoh said such operational issues illustrate why reforms cannot simply be implemented at the stroke of a pen.
“So just a simple adjustment like that, for the ordinary person looking at this, they say, ‘why are reforms going so slow?’ Everything takes time because every single thing has a contract involved.”
She also said financial constraints mean the government cannot rely solely on public spending and must increasingly work with the private sector.
“We have to get the private sector involved,” she said.
As an example, Yeoh pointed to City Hall’s collaboration with ZUS Coffee, which offers discounts to customers who enter the city earlier in the morning in an attempt to spread peak-hour traffic.
She described the initiative as a “zero-cost” partnership for the government, despite criticism that it did little to address congestion.
“One million cars every day. If ZUS Coffee (offers) 30 per cent discount and can encourage those who drink coffee to come earlier, why not? I have nothing to lose,” she said.
Yeoh also defended the government’s engagement with property developers, saying they must be involved in shaping redevelopment policies instead of being consulted only after decisions have been made.
She said Kuala Lumpur City Hall is reviewing redevelopment guidelines to ensure developers provide meaningful public spaces rather than fragmented patches of greenery.
Instead of accepting small landscaped areas, she said City Hall now wants integrated parks complete with jogging tracks and facilities that can be used by people of all ages, including senior citizens and wheelchair users.
“If you give me a proper park with a jogging track that all my senior citizens can use, then yes, I will allow you to go higher,” she said.
Yeoh said residents, developers and businesses all have a stake in Kuala Lumpur’s future, noting that everyone experiences the same traffic congestion and flood risks.
She added that businesses are more likely to support environmental initiatives when they understand how measures such as green spaces and flood mitigation directly benefit their operations.
“We have a lot of problems here, but you cannot reverse it instantly. It has to go stage by stage,” she said.
