Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar disagrees with the proposal to ban ‘kapcai’ motorcycles (50cc to 150cc) from downtown Kuala Lumpur to reduce carbon emissions.

"The pollution is little from something this small. Only big (vehicles) contribute to the pollution.

"(Banning) small vehicles, I don't know. The big lorries should be banned instead," Wan Junaidi told a press conference after attending the ministry's monthly assembly this morning.

Wan Junaidi's remark was in response to his cabinet colleague Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor's proposal to ban 'kapcai' from entering the city centre.

A scientific research should first be conducted on the matter before a decision was made, Wan Junaidi said.

Tengku Adnan was quoted by mStar as saying that the government was looking at banning kapcai motorcycles from the city centre when public transport fares were more affordable.

While he acknowledged that kapcai motorcycles were predominantly used by the lower-income group, he said many capital cities already had such a ban in place.

His statement had drawn flak, particularly from PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil who claimed that the proposal would hurt the lower-income group and youths.

“I urge Tengku Adnan and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to hold a town hall meeting with the public before making any important decision that will have a large impact on the lives of KLites," said Fahmi.