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Pintasan Saloma (Saloma Link Bridge) history
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The History of Pintasan Saloma (Saloma Link Bridge)

Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Saloma Link (Pintasan Saloma) is a pedestrian and cyclist bridge in Kuala Lumpur that opened to the public on 5 February 2020, commissioned by the Kampung Baru Development Corporation (PKB) at a cost of RM31 million and built over about 18 months. Designed by Veritas Design Group, its 69 metre main span crosses the Klang River and the six lane Ampang Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH), part of a 370 metre pedestrian route that cuts the walk between Kampung Baru and KLCC from over 30 minutes to about seven. Its curved canopy, faced with roughly 4,100 diamond shaped aluminium and glass panels lit by programmable LEDs, is modelled on the sirih junjung, a tiered betel leaf arrangement used in Malay weddings to symbolise unity. The bridge is named after Salmah Ismail, the singer and actress known as Saloma who was P. Ramlee's third wife, both of whom are buried at the nearby Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery. In 2026, DBKL ran repeated Op Lens enforcement operations against unlicensed photographers drawn to the span.

Also Known As

Pintasan Saloma

2020 to present, official Malay name

Saloma Link

2020 to present, official English name

Jambatan Saloma

2020 to present, colloquial Malay name


Timeline

1950s

An old, narrow footbridge crosses the Klang River at roughly this point, giving Kampung Baru residents a direct walking link to what later became the KLCC side of the river.

1996

Construction of the six lane Ampang Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH) severs the old riverside link, leaving Kampung Baru cut off from the Jalan Ampang and KLCC side by a fast road and the river for over two decades.

c. 2018

The Kampung Baru Development Corporation (PKB) begins construction of a new dedicated pedestrian and cyclist crossing, with Veritas Design Group engaged to design a canopy inspired by the sirih junjung, a tiered betel leaf arrangement used in Malay wedding ceremonies. Building work takes about 18 months.

5 February 2020

Saloma Link opens to the public. PKB general manager Zulkurnain Hassan states the crossing stretches 370 metres in total, with the span over the highway and river measuring 69 metres, cutting the Kampung Baru to KLCC walk from more than 30 minutes to about seven. The project cost RM31 million including consultancy fees.

2020

The bridge's roughly 4,100 diamond shaped facade panels begin cycling programmable LED light displays each evening, including festival themed patterns for Hari Raya, Deepavali, Chinese New Year and Ponggal, quickly making the span a popular night time photography spot.

April 2026

DBKL, working with the Royal Malaysia Police, the Immigration Department and the National Registration Department, runs an enforcement sweep codenamed Op Lens against unlicensed "ulat foto" photography touts at Saloma Link and the KLCC precinct, issuing 23 compounds and seizing 28 pieces of equipment.

18 July 2026

DBKL conducts a further Op Lens operation at Saloma Link, Jalan Ampang and Jalan P. Ramlee, issuing 19 compounds against unlicensed photographers and seizing 28 items of equipment including phones, lighting rigs and gimbals, saying enforcement against unauthorised photography services at the site will continue.


What's Inside Today

Sirih junjung facade

The curved canopy is clad in roughly 4,100 diamond shaped modules of solid and perforated aluminium, glass and transparent panelling, arranged to echo the layered, cone like stacking of a sirih junjung, the betel leaf centrepiece traditionally presented at Malay weddings to represent the union of two families, mirroring the bridge's role in reuniting two sides of the city.

Two measurements, one crossing

Saloma Link is often quoted as either 69 metres or 370 metres long because both figures are correct for different things: 69 metres is the covered span that clears the Klang River and the AKLEH highway, while 370 metres is the length of the full pedestrian route from Jalan Saloma in Kampung Baru to Jalan Raja Muda Musa on the KLCC side.

Programmable LED lighting

Each facade panel houses its own lighting module, letting DBKL and PKB run different display patterns, including a Malaysian flag motif, and switch to festival specific colour schemes for occasions such as Hari Raya and Deepavali, rather than a single fixed illumination scheme.

Overnight closure

The bridge is gated shut between 1am and 5am from Monday to Saturday, and from 12.30am to 5am on Sundays and public holidays, a maintenance and safety measure rather than a round the clock public right of way.

Naming tied to a nearby grave

The bridge is not simply named for Saloma's fame as a singer and actress; she and her husband P. Ramlee are both buried at the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery close to the bridge's KLCC side approach, which anchors the name to the immediate area rather than to the couple's film and music career alone.

Photography hotspot enforcement

The bridge's LED facade and skyline views have made it a magnet for unlicensed commercial photographers known locally as ulat foto, prompting recurring joint DBKL, police and immigration enforcement operations through 2026 under the codename Op Lens.


Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Saloma Link named after Saloma?

It honours Salmah Ismail, the singer and actress known by her stage name Saloma, who was the third wife of P. Ramlee. Both are buried at the Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery near the bridge's KLCC side approach, which ties the name directly to the location rather than only to her career.

Who built Saloma Link and how much did it cost?

The bridge was commissioned by the Kampung Baru Development Corporation (PKB), with Veritas Design Group designing the structure. It cost RM31 million including consultancy fees and took about 18 months to build before opening on 5 February 2020.

What connected Kampung Baru and KLCC before Saloma Link was built?

An old, narrow footbridge once crossed the Klang River at roughly the same point in the 1950s. That link was severed when the six lane Ampang Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH) was built in 1996, leaving the two areas separated by a fast road and the river for more than two decades until Saloma Link opened.

How long is Saloma Link?

The covered span that crosses the Klang River and AKLEH highway is 69 metres long, but the full pedestrian route from Jalan Saloma in Kampung Baru to Jalan Raja Muda Musa on the KLCC side runs 370 metres, which PKB said cuts a walk of more than 30 minutes down to about seven.

Who designed Saloma Link?

Veritas Design Group designed the bridge, drawing on its wider involvement in the Kampung Baru redevelopment master plan to shape the canopy's sirih junjung inspired form and its roughly 4,100 panel LED facade.

What enforcement action took place at Saloma Link in 2026?

In April and again in July 2026, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) ran joint operations codenamed Op Lens with police, Immigration and the National Registration Department against unlicensed photography touts operating at Saloma Link and the surrounding KLCC precinct, issuing dozens of compounds and seizing equipment including phones, lighting rigs and gimbals.

Sources

Saloma Link (Wikipedia)

Long awaited pedestrian bridge Saloma Link opens today (The Star, 5 Feb 2020)

Saloma Link bridges old and new Kuala Lumpur, a big hit with city folks (Malay Mail, 23 Feb 2020)

Saloma Link: Weaving Together KLCC and Kampung Bahru (CIDB)

DBKL seizes equipment, issues 19 compounds against unlicensed photographers in KLCC area (Malay Mail, 20 Jul 2026)

Plan Your Visit to Pintasan Saloma (Saloma Link Bridge)