eScooters not allowed at Dataran Merdeka? Here’s when you can ride them legally on KL roads

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has announced last week that it has confiscated a bunch of electric scooters that were operating illegally at Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka). According to DBKL, Merdeka Square is not a gazetted area for eScooter activities in line with the government’s directive to prohibit such personal mobility vehicles on public roads.

During their patrol rounds, DBKL officers have confiscated two electric scooters which are placed on the road for the purpose of rentals. It added that DBKL has not authorised such activities at Merdeka Square. From the images, these vehicles appear to be Mopeds as illustrated by the Ministry of Transport recently. Mopeds are low-powered motorcycles that use either an electric or internal combustion engine, which is often fitted with two or three wheels. These vehicles weigh not more than 150kg and can move at speeds not exceeding 50km/h.

Responding to a comment calling for DBKL to set up a special area for scooters during the weekend, DBKL says there’s already a program that allows the use of scooters. It added that the public can ride their scooters freely along a designated 7km stretch of closed roads during KL Car Free Morning which is held every Sunday from 7am to 9am.

We have reached out to the organisers on Facebook and they have confirmed that electric scooters are indeed allowed but it is only for adults. eScooter riders are also reminded not to ride too fast and be considerate of other participants who are either walking, running, cycling or skateboarding.

To join KL Car Free Morning, you must first register yourself on their website in advance and only one device is permitted per registration. The weekly registration closes every Thursday at 11:45am and you can follow the latest updates on their official Facebook page.

All participants for KL Car Free Morning must be registered and wear a wrist tag at all times. The starting point is located at Dataran DBKL, in front of the City Hall building. The route passes through Jalan Raja Laut, Jalan Dang Wangi, Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. There’s a shorter loop that cuts through Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman after Maju Junction.

If you’re taking public transport, the nearest train stations to the starting points are LRT Bandaraya, LRT Masjid Jamek and KTM Bank Negara.

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