The vibrant night scene along Jalan Bukit Bintang is set to be further transformed under DBKL's 'I Lite U @ Bukit Bintang' beautification project for Visit Malaysia 2026. -- CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR is getting a major facelift ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is sparing no effort to make the city sparkle.
Work will soon begin to illuminate Jalan Bukit Bintang with a decorative lighting initiative called "I Lite U @ Bukit Bintang" and to prepare the popular shopping, entertainment and food street for a culture-rich parade in early January.
The highlight will be a grand gantry which will serve as a permanent welcome arch, marking the start of a 1km stretch that will be transformed with lights, landscaping and festive energy.
The "I Lite U @ Bukit Bintang" project will cost about RM4mil, and is jointly funded by the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) and DBKL.
"We are getting RM2mil from KPKT, and we will top up an additional RM2mil.
"All these will go towards lighting up, beautifying and upgrading basic infrastructure along Jalan Bukit Bintang for the coming VM2026," said KL mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
She said the welcome gantry will serve as a landmark that will have its decor and lighting changed according to major festive seasons.
For instance, it will feature Chinese lanterns during Chinese New Year, traditional pelita for Hari Raya Aidilfitri, oil lamps for Deepavali and festive lighting for Christmas.
Maimunah said work will start soon, and the gantry is expected to be ready by Dec 15.
"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will launch a heritage-heavy, culture-rich parade on Jan 3 next year.
"It will take place along a 1km stretch of Jalan Bukit Bintang,'' said Maimunah, who described the parade as a "mini Disneyland" of sorts.
"To involve local stakeholders, we will organise a competition for buildings with the most beautiful and innovative lighting designs.
"We are also holding video and photography competitions to encourage wider participation," she added.
Apart from the gantry, the project included installing 17 new pedestrian crossing lights between Menara YTL and McDonald's, and upgrading nine existing pedestrian crossing lights along the same street.
Maimunah said 51 decorative motif lights would be installed to enliven the nighttime atmosphere along the road, featuring designs inspired by local culture and colours that will change based on major festive celebrations.
The lighting design will feature a variety of modern LED fixtures, specifically designed to create dynamic, captivating effects for the area.
These include LED icicle lights, which emit shimmering waves of light to produce a colourful night scene, and LED linear lights shaped to accentuate architectural structures in Bukit Bintang.
Maimunah said the lighting initiative will create a dramatic and artistic visual effect as well as enhance Bukit Bintang's nighttime skyline with a modern, cheerful touch that reflected Malaysia's unique identity.
It is also expected to transform Kuala Lumpur's nighttime landscape into a brighter, safer and more visitor-friendly environment, boosting the city's economy and strengthening its tourism appeal as part of the VM2026 campaign.
The project is a collaboration between DBKL, KPKT, Bukit Bintang-KLCC Tourism Association and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.