SHAH ALAM, July 20 — Dataran Merdeka, which hosted a live public screening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina early this morning, was left littered with rubbish after thousands of spectators dispersed following the match.
The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said the historic square was left strewn with various types of waste, prompting its cleaning crews to begin clearing the area soon after the event ended.
"Early this morning, thousands of people gathered to cheer, celebrate football and share the joy. But when the cheering ended, this historic field was left covered with rubbish.
"DBKL will clean it. Our workers will come to collect what has been left behind, but the cleanliness of Kuala Lumpur should not always depend on someone else coming to clean up after we leave," it said in a Facebook post today.
DBKL reminded the public that Dataran Merdeka is a place that symbolises the nation's dignity and history, adding that the condition in which visitors leave the site reflects their appreciation for the landmark.
"We can celebrate enthusiastically. We can cheer as much as we want, but the freedom to celebrate has never meant the freedom to dirty a shared public space.
"A great city is not judged only by the people who visit, but by the condition they leave behind," it said.
In a related matter, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh also expressed her disappointment over the actions of some visitors who left rubbish behind at the venue.
"Thank you to the DBKL team who immediately came to clean this area. When everyone else had gone home, they were still working to restore the cleanliness and comfort of Dataran Merdeka.
"Yes, I know every taxpayer has the right to good services. DBKL must carry out its responsibilities, and they are doing so. But throwing rubbish into a bin is a basic thing that we should do ourselves.
"The right to receive services does not mean every responsibility can be handed over to public workers. They should not have to clean up the rubbish that we deliberately leave behind," she said in a Facebook post.
