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Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has ordered the immediate clean-up of a rundown apartment block in Bukit Bintang after an Australian tourist drew attention to its dilapidated and unhygienic condition
The video, shared by travel content creator @marcoroams on TikTok, showed large piles of rubbish strewn around the property, broken lifts, and filthy common areas.
"This is the Bund Shanghai in Kuala Lumpur, an actual apartment block you can stay in and it's got to be the most disgusting place I've ever seen in my life," he said, while pointing to what he claimed was rubbish thrown from residents' windows onto the ground below.
While praising Malaysia's overall upkeep, he questioned why this city-centre building had been allowed to fall into such disrepair.
"It's an absolute disgrace. Malaysian government, I like you guys, but if you're seeing this video, please get this apartment block knocked down. It needs to go," he said.
He added that he had come across the same building during a visit about a year and a half ago and was shocked that conditions had not improved.
The video garnered close to 50,000 views, with many Malaysians thanking the creator for highlighting the issue while also urging the authorities to take action
"We need to make this go viral. I never thought we still have places like this," one user commented.
"Thank you for your work. Hope the government can take action to solve the problem," wrote another.
"I've also accidentally discovered this place once in Bukit Bintang and ran away from there," another netizen shared.
Following the public attention, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Fadlun Mak Ujud personally visited the site to inspect the situation
DBKL identified the building as the Hicks Flat and acknowledged that several longstanding issues remain unresolved despite previous cleaning works and enforcement operations at the property.
In a statement, the city hall said it has carried out immediate clean-up works to improve conditions at the building.
DBKL also said it will convene a special meeting with the Hicks Flat Joint Management Body to identify the cause of the recurring issues and to coordinate a structured action plan focusing on cleanliness, building maintenance, and overall management.
The mayor added that as Hicks Flat is a strata property, resolving the issues will require cooperation among building management, property owners, residents, and relevant agencies to ensure improvements can be sustained.
