Kelana Jaya light show sparks safety concerns, MBPJ to hold special meeting on approval process

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — A special meeting will be convened soon to address concerns raised by councillors over a light show in Kelana Jaya, which has sparked questions about its approval process and public safety.

Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Zahri Samingon said the matter would be discussed in a dedicated session involving the event organiser.

According to The Star, the issue was raised during the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) full board meeting, where councillors said they were not informed about how approval for the event was granted.

Councillor Kusaaliny Mahendran questioned how the approval was given, stressing that while MBPJ should remain business-friendly, safety considerations must not be compromised.

“What if there is an accident?” she asked.

Councillor Yip Sean Yi said approval procedures must be strictly followed to ensure public safety, adding that inconsistencies were observed when different department heads were questioned about the project.

“When questions are raised, they go unanswered at meetings,” she said.

Another councillor, Terrance Tan Teck Seng, also raised concerns over safety, noting the event involves heavy lighting and is open to children.

He also pointed out that the event would be subject to entertainment tax, which would go to the state government, adding that more details were needed.

Councillor Ong Yew Thai suggested the event be temporarily postponed pending further review.

Mohamad Zahri, however, said there was no need to halt the event, noting that similar shows have been held at multiple locations nationwide.

He said the setup takes about a month, with the show running for another month, and added that safety requirements had been addressed.

“All aspects, including safety, have been addressed. However, the councillors were not aware,” he said after chairing the meeting at MBPJ headquarters in Jalan Yong Shook Lin.

He added that MBPJ would hold a special session next week for the organiser to explain the project.

The light show is scheduled to run until June 7.

Separately, Mohamad Zahri said MBPJ had resolved 78 per cent of the 19,879 complaints received between January and March, with issues mainly involving infrastructure, waste management, unlicensed businesses, public nuisance and development compliance.

He said the council is now using a data-driven approach to analyse complaints by category, location and response time to improve service delivery and operational planning.

“The analysis helps optimise resources and improve the planning of on-site operations,” he said.