Imagine planning a visit to a popular landmark, only to be turned away at the front gate. That happened to several tourists this morning (17th April 2025, Thursday) at the Kuala Lumpur Tower (KL Tower).
According to news reports, tour bus drivers carrying foreign tourists to KL Tower were turned away this morning after the popular tourist destination announced a temporary closure. The closure was announced yesterday night (16th April 2025, Wednesday), so tour bus drivers and tour guide companies were unaware of the latest update. The news caught tourists off guard, and they could only take photos of the landmark from outside the premises.
The closure of the iconic KL Tower is effective 17th April 2025. A statement from the Ministry of Communications revealed that the tower has been operating without government authorisation by Menara Kuala Lumpur Sdn Bhd (MKLSB) after the management was handed over to LSH Service Master Sdn Bhd on 1st April 2025 (Tuesday). It’s learned that the federal lands commissioner had issued two eviction notices to MKLSB earlier this month.
Additionally, the ministry declared that MKLSB’s continued occupation of the Kuala Lumpur Tower premises after the management handover was unlawful. The statement also explained that the temporary closure is to facilitate improvement works, saying, “In the interest of visitor safety and comfort, and to allow the new management (LSH Service Master Sdn Bhd) to carry out maintenance and improvement works, the KL Tower will be temporarily closed.”
The ongoing dispute between the two management companies reportedly stems from a legal conflict between LSH and MKLSB’s parent company, Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd. In May 2024, LSH was awarded a 20-year concession over KL Tower following the expiry of MKLSB’s management contract. However, Hydroshoppe filed a lawsuit against the award of the concession, alleging contractual breaches and misconduct.
For now, there’s no news on when KL Tower will reopen. As one of Kuala Lumpur’s iconic landmarks, it’s likely local tours will be affected by the closure – but what are your thoughts on this?
Sources: China Press, Facebook, Free Malaysia Today
