Appalling infrastructure

I WRITE with a heavy heart after having witnessed with my own eyes situations of the past week when I was in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, as well as searching on social media to see the state of things in other places in dear Malaysia.

I am referring to road and drainage infrastructure managed separately by the respective local councils, that is, Klang Municipal Council (MPK), Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) and Penang City Council (MBPP), or at times under federal agencies like the Works Department (JKR) or Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

It is sad to see the roads in the area under the jurisdiction of MPAJ. They are riddled with potholes at various locations, like Jalan 10/91 and also the Besraya Highway at the side road from Pandan Indah to Pandan Perdana. Will the local councillors or relevant officers do their part to get them patched? Only time will tell.

There is also the case in Klang in which the father of my dear football friend sus- tained injuries after falling into a manhole that was not properly covered opposite Aeon Klang.

Also in Klang, the road on the way to Westport is in such bad shape that a motorcyclist took a spill.

Back home in Penang, there is a road widening project under JKR at Jalan Sg Dua near the traffic light junction with Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, which is excellent in intent. But take a closer look at the drains and you will see construction debris like wood, sand and even a concrete slab all blocking the flow of water. This has lead to stagnation – perfect for breeding mosquitoes.

What was the “explanation”? There will be a new project to build new drains there. So while we wait for this “new project” which should be weeks or months away, residents nearby should expect more mosquitoes in their area, especially with our current wet spell in Penang.

To those in charge have some empathy in your job. Don’t just sit at your desks during office hours and carry out site visits only when required.

When lives are at stake, someone needs to be responsible.

BOO SOON YEW George Town, Penang