KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Territory Department will hold a dialogue session with street performers in the second quarter of this year to gather initial input before drafting the Federal Territory Entertainment Policy, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
She said the session would also involve street artists without performance permits to identify the challenges they face and explore possible assistance that can be provided.
She said the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) issued permits to 374 street performers under the music performance category and 205 under the creative visual arts category, such as clowns, mascots, magicians and henna artists.
“This move allows Kuala Lumpur to have well-organised and high-quality street performers that can serve as a tourist attraction,” she said during the Ministers’ Questions Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Dr Zaliha was responding to a question from P. Prabakaran (PH-Batu) on DBKL’s initiative to elevate the status of street performers in Kuala Lumpur, similar to the world’s major cities like London and Paris, as part of efforts to establish the city as a cultural hub ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
Dr Zaliha urged street performers in Kuala Lumpur to also perform classic songs with a modern touch, in addition to popular melodies, to help tourists appreciate Malaysia’s traditional music, such as gamelan and ghazal.
She also encouraged the performers to improve their appearance, dress modestly during performances and interact with their audience more professionally.
At the same time, Dr Zaliha said DBKL has made it mandatory for street performers wanting to renew their permits to undergo an enhancement workshop to ensure they continue adhering to the set guidelines and improve their performance quality.
The workshop aims to ensure that street performers understand the rules and guidelines regarding authorised locations, operating hours, and noise limits to prevent their performances from disrupting their surroundings as well as safety briefings by the police.
