KUCHING: Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) plans to hold ‘Kuching Car-Free Morning’ programme every fourth Sunday of the month after Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year.
Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Islamic Affairs and DBKU) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi said for a start, the car-free time will be between 6am to 10am.
“We have identified two routes for us to hold this programme — Main Bazaar to Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman with a distance of 900 metres, and Jalan Satok with a distance of 1.3 kilometres.
“From the aspect of traffic circulation, this programme will involve public parking areas, alternative traffic and bus routes, road closures and emergency access, as well as loading activities,” he told a press conference yesterday.
Dr Abdul Rahman, who is also Assistant Minister of Utilities (Water Supply) said there will be other side activities such as art and crafts sales booths, DBKU On The Move, food trucks, sports events, street soccer, traditional games, cycling and others.
“The objectives of ‘Kuching Car-Free Morning’ programme are to help reduce carbon emission and traffic congestion, to encourage healthy and green lifestyle and create environmental awareness and to create interaction and activity spaces for the people,” he said.
The programme will involve the police, Road Transport Department, bus operators, associations and the private sector.
Besides the car-free programme, Dr Abdul Rahman said that DBKU is also planning to hold a Cleanliness Month every August starting this year.
“Some of the activities planned for the entire month will be plogging (jogging and picking up litter), cleanliness contest, seminar, clean-up ride, cleanliness run and many more.
“We hope to make it a yearly event and will work with the other councils (MBKS and MPP),” he said.