Football fans across the country stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to watch the showdown between Spain and Argentina at the World Cup final match, which saw Spain grabbing the title after 16 years.
Amidst the celebration however, it once again brought up one of Malaysians’ worst habits to date: littering indiscriminately at public places.
Rubbish strewn across Dataran Merdeka
In a Facebook post by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), it showed several photos of the aftermath following the match’s conclusion, which was livestreamed at Dataran Merdeka.
As seen from the photos, the field was littered with plastic sheets, disposable cups, plastic bottles, food packaging, and plastic bags.
In the caption, DBKL expressed dismay over Malaysians’ notorious habit of littering, souring an event that was meant to be celebratory.
“It is heartbreaking to see the condition of Dataran Merdeka after the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.
“Early this morning, thousands gathered to cheer, celebrate football and share in the excitement. But when the celebrations ended, this historic square was left strewn with rubbish,” it wrote.
‘Free to celebrate =/= free to litter’
While DBKL said its workers will clean up the mess left behind by fans, it reminded Malaysians that keeping the city clean shouldn’t depend on others cleaning up after them.
Dataran Merdeka is a symbol of our nation’s pride and history. The way we leave it reflects how much we value it.
“We can celebrate with great enthusiasm. We can cheer as loudly as we like. But the freedom to celebrate doesn’t mean we’re free to litter shared public spaces.
“A great city is not judged only by how many people gather there, but by the condition they leave it in after they go home. KL is our home. Let’s take care of it the same way we would take care of our own homes.”
Criticism
In the comment section, the unsightly scene drew widespread condemnation, with netizens calling it a “national embarrassment” and saying it revealed the real side of Malaysians.
Another suggested that such events shouldn’t be offered for free to the public and instead organisers should impose an entry fee so it would deter the public from littering.
Malaysia’s littering problem has long been a source of shame for its citizens, be it locally or abroad:
