Kuala Lumpur city centre will be completely locked down next week in conjunction with the 47th ASEAN Summit, with the highest level of security and large-scale road closures at several key locations.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan announced that 16,000 Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) personnel will be deployed from all over the country to ensure smooth traffic and security throughout the event from 23 to 28 October.
Malaysia as ASEAN Chair this year will host major world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, who is expected to attend for the first time since 2020.
Also confirmed to attend are Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partners.
Mohamad also announced that Cyprus and Finland are expected to become ASEAN's new dialogue partners, thus expanding the regional bloc's diplomatic network.
Following the high-profile event, around 70 schools in the capital area will switch to online class sessions, while civil servants working within 25 kilometres of the city centre have been asked to work from home (WFH) for the duration of the summit.
According to the Kuala Lumpur Command and Control Centre (KLC3), several major roads and highways around the capital will be closed in stages between 26 and 28 October.
The closures are expected to last between 30 and 45 minutes at a time to make way for high-level official convoys, including the movement of international leaders and delegations.
The public is advised to avoid the city centre, use public transport such as the MRT, LRT, monorail or bus, and adhere to security instructions during the period.
Heavy vehicles are also not allowed to enter the city centre, especially during peak conference hours.
With the presence of world leaders and large-scale security, the 47th ASEAN Summit is expected to be one of the most significant diplomatic events of the year for Malaysia on the international stage.
