KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Bintang into Malaysia’s answer to Tokyo’s Ginza or Singapore’s Orchard Road.

Speaking at the soft launch of the “I Lite U” project at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Nga said the initiative — a collaboration between his ministry and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) — aims to make the city’s premier shopping district “even more vibrant, colourful and alive than ever before”.

“My mission is to make Kuala Lumpur’s golden triangle off Bukit Bintang no less than Ginza street in Tokyo or Orchard Road in Singapore,” he said, according to Free Malaysia Today (FMT).

The project, which is part of preparations for the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, features four main components, including artistic street lighting inspired by Malaysian culture and a new Visit Malaysia 2026 sculpture.

Nga announced that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will officially launch the project on January 3, adding that several roads in Bukit Bintang will be closed to accommodate a parade.

“We will ask the police to close the Bukit Bintang road because we will be having a parade, one as good as Disneyland’s,” he reportedly said, urging the public to use public transport to avoid traffic congestion during the event.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Maimunah Sharif said the project also seeks to boost safety for tourists and stimulate the city’s night-time economy, bringing it on par with global destinations like Tokyo and Dubai.

“Tourists will enjoy a more lively and safe atmosphere, entrepreneurs will benefit from a planned night-time economy, and residents will witness the beauty of a city that reflects the dignity and identity of Malaysia,” she said, as cited by FMT.

Tourism Malaysia is targeting 45 million visitor arrivals during the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.

 Malay Mail – Malaysia