Why not in Mahathir-built Putrajaya? Malaysians peeved as KL heads for Asean Summit 'lockdown'

Questions have been raised on the government's choice of Kuala Lumpur as the venue for the Asean Summit later this month, following the announcement that major parts of the capital will be shut down in what is expected to cause a major disruption of activities in some of its busiest commercial districts.

Malaysians, especially city-dwellers, have taken to social media to question the rationale for making Kuala Lumpur the host despite its increasingly challenging traffic conditions and narrow streets.

Many asked why the meeting, to be attended by the leaders of the 10 nations alongside those from Asean dialogue partners such as India and the US, would not be held in Putrajaya, which boasts world class facilities and is close to KLIA – the main hub for the arrival of more than 10,000 delegates and guests.

Many also said that larger events hosted by Malaysia under Dr Mahathir Mohamad had never inconvenienced the public, especially after the emergence of Putrajaya, the administrative capital built by the former prime minister where his image continues to loom large some two decades later.

"Under Mahathir as prime minister, many more conferences were held that were far bigger than this," said Abu Irfan As-Sagili, one of hundreds of netizens reacting to news of the lockdown from Oct 23 to 28.

"The people were never locked down from going to work and school. Just hold it in Putrajaya. Putrajaya was made to handle conferences like this without disrupting people's lives."

Rohaizad Zainal meanwhile referred to the Covid-19 lockdowns under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration.

"PN imposed lockdowns for fear of the infection spreading. This one is so that VVIPs have an easy time strolling about in Kuala Lumpur.

"Who is going to pay the rental for shop outlets in the area? Who is going to pay the salaries of workers if a lockdown is ordered just like that?"

'Business as usual'

When contacted, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan denied there would be a lockdown.

"No lockdowns. Business as usual," he told MalaysiaNow. However, he advised the public to avoid areas near KLCC where the Asean Summit will take place due to the "strict security".

Mohamad also said that Kuala Lumpur was chosen as the venue due to the availability of accomodation for the delegates.

Former minister Zaid Ibrahim however was not convinced.

"Why shut down a part of KL which is the centre of commercial activities, not to mention tens of thousands of students in schools forced to do online during exam season?" he asked.

Zaid also recalled that much of Anwar Ibrahim's criticism of Muhyiddin Yassin's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic was the series of lockdowns.

"But now he is doing this unnecessary lockdown. Didn't he say the people's interest comes first?" he said, adding that a Putrajaya venue for the summit would spare businesses in Kuala Lumpur the losses caused by road closures.

Putrajaya and neighbouring Cyberjaya have been host to a number of large international meetings and summits, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting in 1998.

Carved from a once-sleepy township of oil palm and rubber plantations, Putrajaya's breathtaking boulevards, picturesque lakes and dazzling government buildings have joined a long list of legacies symbolising Mahathir's two decades of leadership in the 80s and 90s, during which time Malaysia experienced rapid economic growth.

Construction was largely completed in 1999, a year after Anwar's dramatic sacking as Mahathir's heir apparent, following allegations of power abuse and moral misconduct.

At the time, Anwar and his supporters described Putrajaya and many other landmarks that sprang up during Malaysia's economic boom as wasteful.

This historical background, coupled with Mahathir's legacy, have been at the centre of criticism over the choice of Kuala Lumpur as the Asean summit venue.

'Trump not bothered'

Zaid said Anwar might be worried that visiting leaders, especially US President Donald Trump, would be impressed with Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and KLIA.

"But since Trump had no sense of history, he would not know that Mahathir was the one who built all that," he said, adding that Anwar should not waste time trying to impress Trump with the Kuala Lumpur skyline.

"He (Trump) would much prefer the PM offered some land for his Trump Tower and a Trump golf course," he quipped.

The notice of road closures and security arrangements in the city centre came alongside instructions for scores of schools in the Klang Valley to switch to online classes.

The move followed calls for Anwar to withdraw his invitation for Trump to join the summit, a demand that has gained traction in recent days following the US president's speech at the Knesset on Oct 13 where he boasted about American weapons being "used well" by the Israeli army.

The affected roads include Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Ampang, both of which lead to the US embassy where pro-Palestine supporters plan to gather on Oct 26, the day of Trump's arrival.

Organisers have indicated that the rally will proceed despite the lockdown.

"We will make sure that everything proceeds smoothly. Whether there is violence or restrictions on the public depends on how the authorities act on that day," activist Sharifah Haura Uzzahra Syed Abdul Rahman, who represents the Anti-Trump Secretariat which brings together disparate groups to protest the invitation to the US president, told MalaysiaNow recently.