KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will place enforcement officers at and around the newly-opened Saloma Link pedestrian bridge from next week onwards, to keep vagrants and vandals away.
Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad said this follows reports that irresponsible groups had been hogging the 370-metre stretch - the city's latest attraction - barely days after it was opened to the public on Feb 10.
"We have asked City Hall to increase its enforcement staffing for round-the-clock surveillance. About 200 new enforcement officers are expected to be recruited in the coming weeks.
"Of the 200, at least 100 will be stationed at and around the Saloma Link.
"They will be tasked with patrolling the bridge right from Lorong Raja Muda Musa 3 in Kg Baru up to Jalan Saloma, which is next to Menara Public Bank, near KLCC," he told reporters after attending the Federal Territories Day celebration at the Gombak Community Centre in Wangsa Maju, here, today.
Khalid added that it appeared to be a trend for vagrants to choose new, beautified tourist spots as their "home" or hangout joints, even after the goverment had set up transit homes for them.
"We are aware of this problem. We will see how we can convince these people to not hang out at tourist spots and be an eyesore. We will take them back to the transit homes.
"Vandalism meanwhile is a common problem everywhere. We must try to rectify this by spreading civic awareness and best practices," he said citing the case of Tasik Titiwangsa where vandals and litterbugs made their mark barely a day after it was reopened to the public last year.
Khalid said as part of the new safety measures, more security features such as CCTVs would be incorporated along the stretch.
The carnival-like Federal Territories Day celebration saw more than 50 stalls set up, where visitors could explore products, career opportunities and government services.
Also present at the event were Wangsa Maju member of parliament (MP) Dr Tan Yee Kew, Batu MP P. Prabakaran and City Mayor Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan.