Locals & tourists want Jalan Alor to be maintained - the Star
Jalan Alor on Yahoo! returns more than 900,000 results. It is that famous.
Yet, Kuala Lumpur City Hall is adamant that changing the name to Jalan Kejora - a move that has sparked a public outcry - is the right thing to do. Datuk Bandar Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan said the move, which was planned three years ago, would give the tourist destination of Bukit Bintang a new image.
“Other roads in the area will soon have new names, and they will all be named after the stars to create the new image,” he said yesterday during a visit to a landslide site in Cheras. The name change came to light when city hall replaced the road sign about a week ago. The Jalan Alor name has been in existence for 35 years.
City Hall explained that the name was changed at the request of the National Economic Action Council to meet requirements under the road naming guidelines and to go with other roads in the vicinity.
The DAP MP for Bukit Bintang, Fong Kui Lun, who has brought the matter up with the Federal Territories Minister, said: “How can you change the name just like that?”
He said a search of Jalan Alor on the Yahoo! search engine returned more than 900,000 results.
“You can imagine how famous this food haven is internationally,” he said. Fong said that the area had taken years to establish its reputation and changing its name overnight was unfair to the locals. “We want the name maintained,” he said, adding that he would bring up the matter up to the Tourism Minister.
Traders in the area could not fathom the rationale behind the move. “Why must they change the name when it is already popularly known among the locals and tourists?” said Loke Yew, who has been selling fruits there for the past 35 years.
Trader Azmi Aznal said: “Even my stall is called Nasi Lemak Alor Corner and now City Hall has changed the road name for no apparent reason. “Does that also mean I should change my stall’s name too?”
Several tourists have frowned at the move. “The new name will definitely confuse some of us when trying to find the place in the future,” Australian tourists Jenny O’Connor and Caitlin Coppock said.
It is learnt that traders and residents have embarked on a signature campaign to stop the change in name.
Yet, Kuala Lumpur City Hall is adamant that changing the name to Jalan Kejora - a move that has sparked a public outcry - is the right thing to do. Datuk Bandar Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan said the move, which was planned three years ago, would give the tourist destination of Bukit Bintang a new image.
“Other roads in the area will soon have new names, and they will all be named after the stars to create the new image,” he said yesterday during a visit to a landslide site in Cheras. The name change came to light when city hall replaced the road sign about a week ago. The Jalan Alor name has been in existence for 35 years.
City Hall explained that the name was changed at the request of the National Economic Action Council to meet requirements under the road naming guidelines and to go with other roads in the vicinity.
The DAP MP for Bukit Bintang, Fong Kui Lun, who has brought the matter up with the Federal Territories Minister, said: “How can you change the name just like that?”
He said a search of Jalan Alor on the Yahoo! search engine returned more than 900,000 results.
“You can imagine how famous this food haven is internationally,” he said. Fong said that the area had taken years to establish its reputation and changing its name overnight was unfair to the locals. “We want the name maintained,” he said, adding that he would bring up the matter up to the Tourism Minister.
Traders in the area could not fathom the rationale behind the move. “Why must they change the name when it is already popularly known among the locals and tourists?” said Loke Yew, who has been selling fruits there for the past 35 years.
Trader Azmi Aznal said: “Even my stall is called Nasi Lemak Alor Corner and now City Hall has changed the road name for no apparent reason. “Does that also mean I should change my stall’s name too?”
Several tourists have frowned at the move. “The new name will definitely confuse some of us when trying to find the place in the future,” Australian tourists Jenny O’Connor and Caitlin Coppock said.
It is learnt that traders and residents have embarked on a signature campaign to stop the change in name.
