Poor maintenance of Sandakan public amenities
SANDAKAN: Residents are complaining the poor maintenance of public amenities in Sandakan town, said Sandakan Indian Association president Taren Sunil Manoharan.
“Malfunctioning streetlights such as the stretch of blinking streetlights along mile 2.5 Jalan Utara in front of St Mary’s and St Cecilia schools is an example. In some areas things are even worse with streetlights totally not functioning at all,” said Taren Sunil.
The SIA president said that many members of the public have also voiced their concern to him about the increasing number of beggers along the streets and some apparently homeless people loitering around town.
“There are also growing numbers of stray dogs that pose a constant danger to pedestrians, particularly children. With rubbish in many trash bin areas often overflowing due to irregular collection, these stray dogs will rummage through all the rubbish and bite through plastic bags for food thus attracting flies and other disease-spreading pests to congregate and breed in these places,” he added.
“It is quite obvious that even simple maintenance jobs like grass-cutting have not been properly carried out in many localities. Even right in the town itself, grass has grown taller than people in many places. The same can be seen in housing areas, along road dividers and in public parks and playgrounds,” lamented Taren Sunil.
“Why are the local councilors so laid back? Have they forgotten why they were put there in the first place?” he asked.
The SIA president pointed out that there are stretches of roads with many potholes not just in the outskirts of Sandakan but actually right in the town itself.
He cautioned that this is a hazard for vehicle drivers and other road users, especially during the night. He feared that drivers trying to avoid potholes might lose control of their vehicles and even ram into nearby pedestrians.
He said that ratepayers are really angry and even embarrassed about the present situation in Sandakan.
“It seems that everything related to maintenance and up-keeping is at a standstill in Sandakan,” he alleged.
The SIA president urged the relevant authorities to buck up and do their job.