Friday, January 16, 2015

Road users fed up with Menglembu’s poorly maintained roads - The Star

Jan 16 2015 by Ivan Loh


A RESIDENT at Menglembu spent several weeks at the hospital after his motorcycle hit a water-filled pothole along Jalan Menglembu Utara.
The victim’s friend, Chung Seong Sun said the pothole at Jalan Menglembu Utara was not the only one as Menglembu was “plagued” with potholes.
“It happened just a few weeks ago. It was raining and he thought the waterlogged pothole was just a puddle.
“He lost balance as his motorcycle hit the pothole and fell onto the road,” the 63-year-old Chung said when met at the area on Saturday.
Chung, from Taman Rasi, said he has made several complaints to the Ipoh City Council but these have fallen on deaf ears.
“I complained about the matter last month.
“I was told that a surveyor was needed to evaluate the place before getting a contractor to do it,” he said.
“I am not sure whether anything has been done or not,” he added.
Foong Chon Yek, 63, said he too was a victim.
“It happened several years ago. I was unaware of these potholes on the road then and hit it.
“Lucky for me, I only sustained cuts and bruises,” he said.
Housewife Lee Wai Lin, 56, said the potholes posed a danger especially for the older generation.
“Their eyes might not be as sharp and may not react in time to avoid these potholes.
“It is worse when they are on their bicycles or motorcycles,” she said.
Lee said she hoped the city council would rebuild new roads in the area.
“Patching and tarring them will not last long.
“We want the city council to rebuild the whole stretch of these roads,” she said.
Businessman Ho Kong Fong, 50, said there was a 3m-long pothole near SMK Seri Keledang along Persiaran Kledang Timur 1 and the area was also posing a hazard to motorists.
“We all tried to avoid the pothole but often the underside of our vehicles will hit it as it was too wide,” he said.
Menglembu assemblyman Lim Pek Har said areas and roads riddled with potholes included Hala Perusahaan Kledang Utara 1, Hala Persuhaan Menglembu 13, Jalan Menglembu Jaya 3, Lebuh Kledang Utara 16 and Lebuh Kledang Utara 8 at Taman Arkid, Lorong Kledang Timur 7 in Taman Sri Intan, Jalan Menglembu Utara 2 and Jalan Menglembu Timur 12.
Lim said she urged the city council to repair these immediately so that people would not fall victim.
Batu Gajah MP V. Sivakumar said the city council must respond upon receiving a complaint from the public.
“I would like to remind Datuk Bandar and the city council that they are running a city and services cannot be slow.
“Repairing potholes, cleaning drains and clearing away garbage piles are fundamental and basic responsibilities of the city council,” he said.
When contacted, city council corporate affairs principal assistant director Normala Latiff said they would look into the matter.

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