Tan: We want new roads in Balakong

MCA candidate urges for better traffic planning in town

BALAKONG: MCA’s by-election candidate Tan Chee Teong has called for better road and traffic planning in the constituency, suggesting that a new road be built to reduce traffic along the main arteries.

He said a new road could be built to link several neighbourhoods, namely Taman Cheras Jaya, Taman Impian Ehsan, the Selesa Jaya industrial area and Taman Balakong Jaya, to divert traffic from the Cheras-Kajang Highway and state roads.

“That way, local residents and people travelling to work here have an alternative. It will also shorten the journey to Seri Kembangan by 5km to 6km,” he said.

Tan said he had bounced the idea off traffic engineers but he did not give an estimated cost.

Other proposals to improve traffic in Balakong included repairing and widening Persiaran Damai Perdana, which Tan said contained a lot of bottlenecks that cause traffic congestion and accidents, as well as widening a bridge linking Bandar Tun Hussein Onn to Mahkota Cheras and Kuala Lumpur.

“Traffic planning in Balakong needs to be done holistically.

“Maintenance is also an issue. The roads here have faded road markings and the drainage is not properly maintained, which causes pools of stagnant water on the roads during storms,” he said.

Tan said utility companies such as telcos, Tenaga Nasional Bhd and Air Selangor were also constantly damaging the roads to lay new connections or service existing ones, and the road repair jobs later were patchy and caused pot- holes as well as uneven surfaces.

“This damages cars and endangers motorcyclists’ safety,” he said.

“I urge the state government to monitor the utility providers, Public Works Department and local government to ensure the roads are properly repaired.”

The MCA candidate said Balakong was experiencing an increase in population and commercial activity, thus resulting in heavier traffic and vehicle loads.

The traffic problem, he claimed, had been going on for over 10 years. On claims that he was confusing local council issues with state and federal issues, Tan said he was focusing on raising all problems.

“I have to voice out everything, and I can bring them up to the appropriate persons in charge, from the Kajang Municipal Council to the MP,” Tan said.

Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan candidate for Balakong Wong Siew Ki has lodged a police report against Tan over accusations of her vandalising his campaign material.

Wong said Tan organised a press conference on Saturday, and also broadcast the event on Facebook Live, stating that Pakatan members had torn down his campaign posters.

Although the video was later taken down, Wong said it was serious as the video’s title accused Pakatan of committing vandalism.