KUALA LUMPUR City Hall (DBKL) has stepped up its enforcement against unauthorised street photography services, confiscating 32 pieces of equipment and issuing 19 compound notices during a special operation targeting illegal photographers, commonly referred to as “photo touts”, at several of the capital’s busiest tourist locations.
The operation focused on the Saloma Link, Jalan Ampang and Jalan P. Ramlee, where enforcement officers took action against individuals found offering photography services without the necessary licences or official authorisation.
“Of the total seizures, 13 cases involved foreign nationals. Enforcement action was carried out under the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Hawkers Licensing By-Laws 2016,” DBKL said in a statement posted on its official Facebook page.
Among the items confiscated were mobile phones, lighting equipment, gimbals and other photography accessories. All seized equipment has been transferred to the DBKL Seized Property Store for record-keeping and further documentation.
The enforcement exercise was conducted in collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the National Registration Department (JPN), which inspected 32 individuals to verify their identity documents in accordance with the National Registration Act 1959.
DBKL said the operation forms part of its ongoing efforts to ensure public spaces remain free from unauthorised commercial photography activities that may pose safety risks and inconvenience visitors.
The city authority added that similar enforcement operations will continue to be carried out periodically to safeguard public order and regulate commercial activities in high-traffic tourist areas.
Members of the public with information or complaints regarding unauthorised photography services have been urged to report such activities through DBKL’s official complaint channels. – June 21, 2026