Agencies, concessionaires urged to be proactive in road maintenance, says Nanta

• As a road user, Nanta said he understands the situation, as he himself, at times, is dissatisfied with the condition of the roads, which are seen to be riddled with potholes and poorly maintained.

JOHOR BAHRU (May 9): Agencies under the Works Ministry and the appointed concessionaires have been urged to be more proactive in road maintenance nationwide, said its Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (pictured).

He said the issue of road maintenance should not be taken lightly, due to the fact that it is used by motorists all the time and involves people’s safety and lives.

As a road user, Nanta said he understands the situation, as he himself, at times, is dissatisfied with the condition of the roads, which are seen to be riddled with potholes and poorly maintained.

“I hope that all parties involved ensure that the roads are in good condition, including the ministry staff, the Public Works Department (JKR), agencies and concessionaires appointed to maintain them, by taking this responsibility with full trust and integrity.

“Accordingly, I will get status reports on the condition of problematic roads more often from the central and state JKR nationwide, to ensure that all implemented plans run smoothly,” he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (May 9).

Earlier, the Kapit Member of Parliament also inspected the road conditions on Jalan Tebrau in front of the Crystal Crown Hotel, Jalan Persimpangan Kampung Dato Sulaiman, and the Kampung Melayu Majidee intersection here, which people often complaint about.

“Indeed the road conditions here are disappointing. They are as described in complaints lodged by road users. Therefore, I have called the Johor Bahru district engineer to obtain an explanation regarding the road conditions, and the Johor Bahru JKR, to solve this problem.

“I want effective action to be taken soon, rather than leaving motorists putting up with such a situation,” said Nanta, adding that he often receives complaints about the issue officially or through social media platforms.

Meanwhile, Nanta, who also visited the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) here, said that the ministry had identified several issues related to complaints about maintenance works in the area.

Among actions taken include maintenance works no longer being carried out during peak hours, and work tools needing to be kept in a place that does not obstruct the path, as well as lights on the motorcycle lanes must be turned on throughout the night and when it is dark.

“The facilities at CIQ must always be in good condition for the comfort of users. The Johor Bahru JKR gave its assurances that it will always give serious attention to the issue, and I will continue to monitor, to ensure that these issues no longer contribute to the severe congestion problem at the CIQ,” he said.

In addition, Nanta said the ministry will also look again at the proposal to upgrade motorcycle lanes, given that these are narrow paths, unsuitable for high-powered motorcycles.