“Ku Nan, KL is not your father’s. Don’t stop the kapchai from entering the city,” he said.

Lim said it was absurd for Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, better known as Ku Nan, to propose banning kapchai from entering the city.

“Ku Nan tried to stop kapchai from entering the city and then he aborted the plan.

“If refugees can be accepted into the country, why can’t motorcyclists be allowed into the city?” he told reporters at the Petron petrol station in Jalan Segambut here.

Lim said he aimed to distribute RM5,000 worth of petrol to 1,000 motorcyclists.

“This is a Chinese New Year present for the kapchai motorcyclists, who are from the low-income group.

“They are not earning much and we hope that this small gesture will help them out.”

Lim said Ku Nan had made a statement that developed countries did not allow small motorcycles in the city.

“Even Jakarta and Bangkok, where the traffic jams are horrendous, they have not banned the kapchai.”

Lim said the city’s economy would be paralysed if there were no kapchai to service various industries.

Ku Nan had reportedly clarified that the ban on small-capacity engine motorcycles was only a proposal and would not be implemented if the people disagreed.

Ku Nan also said the proposal had been distorted by certain parties.

“We can feel the pulse of the rakyat (people). If they do not want, we will follow the rakyat. So, kapchai motorcyclists need not worry as we will not implement it.”

Earlier, he had been reported as saying the proposed ban was among the efforts to reduce carbon emission as well as snatch thefts in the city.

He said the ban would be implemented when public transport was available at reasonable prices.