KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Federal Territories Hannah Yeoh has denied claims circulating on WhatsApp regarding the racial composition of Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s workforce.
The viral poster alleged that DBKL employed only seven Indian staff members and one Chinese staff member. Hannah said the figures were false and did not reflect the actual staffing data.
As of July 1, 2026, DBKL had 9,131 employees, including 490 Indian staff members and 22 Chinese staff members. Within the Management and Professional group, there were 10 Indian officers and two Chinese officers.
While acknowledging that representation within DBKL could still be improved, Hannah said she had instructed the city council to review job applications, recruitment, promotions and vacancy advertising channels. The review is intended to identify existing gaps and support improvements that are transparent, fair and based on merit.
She also urged the public not to use the issue to create racial tension, stressing that the focus should be on correcting misinformation and addressing genuine weaknesses.
