Thousands of football fans gathered at Dataran Merdeka in the early hours to watch the final World Cup match between Spain and Argentina, creating a lively atmosphere as they cheered for their favourite teams.
However, once the celebrations ended, many attendees left behind piles of litter, leaving one of the country’s most historic public spaces in a disappointing state. Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has issued a heartfelt reminder to the public after images of the iconic landmark, covered in rubbish following the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, circulated on Threads.
Don’t always depend on others to keep KL clean
In a Facebook post, DBKL acknowledged that its cleaning crews would be deployed to clear the rubbish but stressed that maintaining the city’s cleanliness should not always depend on others cleaning up after the public.
“DBKL will clean it up. Our personnel will collect what was left behind, but we should not always depend on others to keep the city clean.”
DBKL also reminded Malaysians that Dataran Merdeka is more than just an event venue, as it is a symbol of the nation’s dignity and history.
According to the city council, the way people leave the site reflects how much they truly value and respect it. The authority added that while everyone is free to celebrate and enjoy public events, that freedom should never come at the expense of shared public spaces.
“You can celebrate enthusiastically. You can cheer as loudly as you like. But the freedom to celebrate has never meant the freedom to litter in a place that belongs to all of us.
“A great city is not only judged by the crowds it attracts, but by the condition it is left in after the crowds have gone.”
DBKL ended its message with a simple but powerful reminder to city dwellers.
“Kuala Lumpur is our home. Let’s take care of it the same way we would take care of our own homes.”
YB Hannah Yeoh expresses disappointment
Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh also expressed her disappointment over the condition of Dataran Merdeka after the World Cup final gathering, saying that while she believes Kuala Lumpur residents love their city, public spaces should not be left littered after celebrations.
In her post this morning (20 July), she thanked DBKL’s cleaning personnel for their swift efforts in restoring the area but stressed that keeping the city clean is a shared responsibility, not one that should fall solely on public workers.
