How KL created a new planet
KUALA LUMPUR – AFP reports that Malaysia’s best-known destination for street food has been renamed, in a surprise re-branding that has created an uproar among the dozens of traders who sell local delicacies there.
Jalan Alor, which comes alive at night with more than 100 stalls selling everything from chicken satay to frog porridge, has been renamed Jalan Kejora by city authorities.
Critics say the change is pointless and will only confuse tourists, who nightly flock to the crowded street in the capital’s Bukit Bintang district.
In the Malay language, jalan means “street” and alor means “stream”.
Kuala Lumpur mayor Abdul Hakim Borhan said the plan to change the name to Kejora — Malay for the planet Venus — was made three years ago as part of a re-branding exercise for Bukit Bintang, which translates as “Star Hill”.
“Other roads in the area will soon have new names, and they will all be named after the stars to create a new image,” he was quoted as saying by the Star daily.
But Bukit Bintang parliamentarian Fong Kui Lun said the move has created an outcry among Jalan Alor’s traders.
“No notice, no explanations. They just replaced the street signboard and the only explanation we got from the mayor was in the newspapers,” he said.
“For 50 years this street has established itself as a very famous hawker centre, it is almost a heritage to city folk and to just remove the name is a very uncalled for and irresponsible act by city hall.”
Many of the traders have named their stalls after the street, which has existed for more than half a century, and yields more than a million results on the Yahoo! Internet search engine.
Fong said he would organise a protest petition to pressure Kuala Lumpur authorities to reconsider the decision.
“It is not easy to build up a name, a brand for tourists to remember. We hope City Hall will revert to its original name,” he said.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports