But is it entirely the people’s fault?

Kuala Lumpur is notorious for being pedestrian-unfriendly. Try stepping off an MRT station onto a pavement that eventually disappears, or having to pray for your life as cars speed past as you attempt to cross the road.

But two women are determined to change that. In 2019, Awatif Ghapar and Yasmin Lane started the “Kerja Jalan” project to advocate for more walkable cities in Malaysia.

FMT Lifestyle joined their Bukit Bintang walk to see them in action recently.

“It started off purely from the love of walking,” Awatif told FMT Lifestyle. “We just wanted to meet more people, and get to know their stories.

“As we started walking, we realised there are more and more things in our city that need some improvement in terms of accessibility,” she added.

When Yasmin, a town planner with a master’s degree in sustainable urbanism, became friends with Awatif, they drew inspiration from “Jane’s Walk”, a global volunteer-led walking initiative created in 2006.

Yasmin recalled: “When I was younger, studying in PJ, I used to take the LRT to Petaling Street for tuition. I’d be in my baju kurung, just walking and exploring the city.”

Today, in small groups of about 30 people, the women lead walks with mic headsets, covering topics like accessibility, neighbourhood history, and heritage buildings. Everyone is welcome, from kids to even mums with strollers.

“Our most memorable walks are always those with children,” said Awatif. “They notice things we often overlook and they speak with such honesty about what feels safe or not when being on the streets,” she shared.

Awatif even recalled a time when children from Chow Kit led the walk themselves, guiding everyone through their favourite spots.

A walk in Taman Tun Dr Ismail in 2019 with a wheelchair user made accessibility challenges painfully clear.

“It opened my eyes to how even a small curb gradient can make a huge difference for people with mobility challenges. As an able-bodied person, I never realised how many barriers exist in our everyday streets,” Awatif said.

But the duo did point out that improvements are being made, albeit slowly. “It was heartening to see progress when we did our stroller walk in May 2025 and found a new ramp and raised crossing along Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad.”

The duo shared that participants often enjoy the chit-chat sessions during the walks, learning new terms like “raised crossings” or “pedestrian refuge islands.”

“Some shared how pedestrian bridges, though meant to help, often make walking harder when they have to climb up and down, only to realise that those bridges are really built for cars to move faster, often at pedestrians’ expense,” said Awatif.

Yasmin added: “Our most recent walk was with local council members from Johor, Shah Alam, and Miri, and it was very powerful to walk with these city builders.

“We pointed out things even they hadn’t noticed before. They’re always designing from the top without realising what’s happening on the ground,” Yasmin added.

Yasmin also stressed that with Malaysians tied to a car-centric lifestyle, the opportunity to walk, along with its physical and mental health benefits, becomes unappealing to many.

“It’s also about sustainable transport,” Yasmin added. “Walking is a cleaner way to get around without depending on petrol, especially for shorter trips.”

But she added that the country’s neighbourhoods must be designed differently. “A highway built right in front of your house is really problematic.”

“Kerja Jalan” also helps residents draft proposals and engage with local authorities about their neighbourhoods.

Yasmin said: “For us, the objective is to get more people walking, because when you walk, you observe. It’s our right as urban citizens to demand these things. Without that ability to walk to where you want to go, we will never achieve a liveable city.”

With monthly walks held across Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and beyond, Awatif and Yasmin hope to get more people on their feet, walking towards a more pedestrian-friendly Malaysia that will one day be on par with cities in Europe.

Follow ‘Kerja Jalan’ on Instagram.