INCLUSIVE HERITAGE TRAILS: ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGES FOR VULNERABLE USERS IN KUALA LUMPUR'S URBAN CONSERVATION AREAS

Authors

  • Noor Ruzaini Adam Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI MALAYA
  • Mastura Adam Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI MALAYA
  • Mohd Firrdhaus Mohd-Sahabuddin Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, UNIVERSITI MALAYA
  • Runda Aduldejcharas Department of Interior Architecture, Faculty of Architecture, CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY, THAILAND
  • Camelia Kusumo School of Architecture, Building and Design, TAYLOR’S UNIVERSITY

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i44.2274

Keywords:

Inclusivity, universal design, heritage trail, vulnerable users, person with disability

Abstract

Over the years, heritage trails within urban conservation areas have faced continuous threats as rapid development reshapes the surrounding landscape and alters the character of the city. These trails serve as vital pedestrian connectors and cultural storytellers, yet they remain physically inaccessible to vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities (PwD), the elderly, pregnant women, and families with young children. Therefore, the objective of this research is to identify the issues and challenges faced by vulnerable users and to examine the physical accessibility quality of heritage trails within Kuala Lumpur. Employing a qualitative case study research approach, data was collected using multiple sources of evidence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 vulnerable users, while participant observation involved 20 vulnerable users navigating the 2.57 km Kuala Lumpur Headquarters (KLHQ) Heritage Trail. Thematic analysis conducted via ATLAS.ti extracted 68 key phrases, which were synthesized into five core planning-relevant attributes: connectivity, usability, safety, information availability, and policy compliance. Findings reveal that the historic trail network fails to provide continuous accessibility. Therefore, this research proposes a comprehensive strategy based on universal design principles in creating inclusive heritage trails that inform the stakeholders and decision makers, directly advancing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 and 11.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Cassell, C., & Symon, G. (2004). Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research. In Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research. SAGE Publications Inc. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446280119

Department of Standards Malaysia. (2014). Malaysia Standard MS1184:2014 Universal design and accessiblity in the built environment - Code of practice (Second revision).

Department of Statistics Malaysia. (2020). Domestic Tourism Survey 2019 by State (Issue September).

Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur. (2018). KL Dulu: Jejak Warisan Kuala Lumpur Jilid 1. In Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur.

Dipasquale, L., Montoni, L., Montacchini, A., & Mecca, S. (2022). Vernacular and World Heritage Impact Assessment: the case study of Patmos. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, 12(2), 150–170. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCHMSD-06-2021-0105

Ghaith J. Althabhawi; Ahmed S. Al-Khafaji. (2025). International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning The Role of Accessibility to Achieving Sustainable Revitalization of Historic City Centers : A Study of the Historic Center of Al-Kifl City , Iraq. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 20(4), 1399–1419.

Jabatan Wilayah Persekutuan. (2025). Kuala Lumpur Unique Experiences. Jabatan Wilayah Persekutuan. https://rolkl.jwp.gov.my/en/unique-experiences

Kamarudin, H., Bakri, A. F., & Zaman, N. Q. (2022). Identifying physical barriers through a real-life experience with mobility difficulties city travelers: a go-along interview method. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1067(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1067/1/012008

Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Think City, V. K. (2024). Kuala lumpur. https://www.warisankl.com/

Persons with Disabilities Act 2008, The Commisioner of Law Revision 221 (2018). http://www.agc.gov.my/agcportal/uploads/files/Publications/LOM/EN/Act 685.pdf

Lutfi A Rahaman; Nabilah Naharudin. (2024). Assessing Potentially Walkable Heritage Trail in Johor Bahru, Malaysia Using Analytical Hierarchical Process and Geographical Information System. Planning Malaysia, 22(6), 315–328.

Marsin, J. M., Ariffin, S. I., & Shahminan, R. N. R. (2014). Comparison of legislation concerning people with disability and heritage environment in Malaysia and developed countries. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/18/1/012178

National Heritage Act 2005. (2006). Act 645 National Heritage Act. In The Commissioner Of Law Revision, Malaysia (pp. 1–76). Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Bhd.

Norafida Abd Ghafar; Mastura Adam; Goh Hong Ching; Ahmed Abubakar; Ammar Al-Sharaa. (2022). Engaging Appreciative Inquiry in Exploring Accessibility Needs among Vulnerable Community in Kuala Lumpur Neighbourhood. Journal of Design and Built Environment, 22(3), 23–39.

Nur Mazidah Che Ghani; Mastura Adam; Norafida Abd Ghafar; Antony Sihombing. (2024). Developing Place Character Appraisal Tool Through Phenomenological Inquiry on City Branding. Journal of Design and Built Environment, 24(3), 42–55.

Pawłowska, A., Krejtz, I., Krejtz, K., Milczarski, P., Rutkowska-Siuda, D., Hłobaż, A., Wendorff, A., Drozdowski, A., Milerowska, M., Borowski, N., & Duchowski, A. T. (2023). Friendly City. Making Architectural Heritage Accessible. International Journal of Conservation Science, 14(3), 1019–1032. https://doi.org/10.36868/IJCS.2023.03.15

UNESCO. (2026). UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals 2030. UNESCO Webpage. www.unesco.org

UNESCO World Heritage Centre. (2025). World Heritage List Statistics. Https://Whc.Unesco.Org/. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/stat

Waddington, D. (2004). Participant Observation. In Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research (pp. 154–164). SAGE Publications Inc.

Yakob, H., Mazlan, S. A., & Abdullah, Y. A. (2022). Qualitative Assessment of Usability and Accessibility of Housing Design Elements for Disabled People. Planning Malaysia, 20(4), 374–388.

Zahari, N. F., Harun, S. F., Ahmad, N. A., Zawawi, Z. A., & Salim, N. A. A. (2016). Comparative Analysis of Disabled Accessibility Needs of Heritage Building in Perak. MATEC Web of Conferences, 66. https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/20166600110

Downloads

Published

2026-10-07

How to Cite

Adam, N. R., Adam, M., Mohd-Sahabuddin, M. F., Aduldejcharas, R., & Kusumo, C. (2026). INCLUSIVE HERITAGE TRAILS: ACCESSIBILITY CHALLENGES FOR VULNERABLE USERS IN KUALA LUMPUR’S URBAN CONSERVATION AREAS. PLANNING MALAYSIA, 24(44). https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v24i44.2274

Issue

Vol. 24 (2026): PLANNING MALAYSIA JOURNAL : Volume 24, Issue 5, 2026

Section

Article

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 Unported License.

Copyright & Creative Commons Licence

eISSN: 0128-0945 © Year. The Authors. Published for Malaysian Institute of Planners. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.

The authors hold the copyright without restrictions and also retain publishing rights without restrictions.

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >>