KUCHING, March 24: Former DAP Stampin MP Julian Tan has urged Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) to act immediately to improve the safety of accident-prone areas under its jurisdiction after his vehicle was stuck in a drainage outlet at Jalan P Ramlee here yesterday.
Having met with a minor accident while helping to submit applications at the Welfare Department, Tan learnt that the area was prone to accidents as the deplorable and odd location of the drainage outlet had become a hazard to unfamiliar road users.
“(It is) A potential death trap.
“While waiting for the tow truck, many (passersby) have dropped by to offer help. To our surprise, many too have raised their concerns on the condition of the drainage outlet and its ‘odd’ design.
“Even those familiar with the area also admitted to having fallen victim at least once, what more to say to those who do not frequent the area,” he said in a statement today.
Tan, who is also a special assistant to Chong Chieng Jen, also learnt from those who approached them that many complaints had been filed to DBKU over the years, but the issue persisted.
“Accidents have become a common occurrence, with workers from nearby shops having helped many stranded cars,” he added.
Hence, he urged DBKU to act immediately to improve accident-prone areas such as this one including the safety features before something worse happened.
“One thing for sure, the site is also flash flood-prone, which further escalates the risk. Prevention is better than cure,” he advised.
Tan pointed out that this area was not the first accident-prone area under DBKU which has yet to address the issue while mishaps keep taking place.
He informed that the junction at the traffic light crossroad with Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce (formerly Jalan Keretapi) and Jalan Green was full of scratched markings and severely damaged railing.
“The only thing preventing road users from the mishap is the ‘half gone’ hazard tape tied around the severely damaged railing.
“We have filed (complaints) with DBKU since last year. We were also concerned about students’ and parents’ frequency of usage along the nearby schools’ walkways,” he highlighted.
Tan urged DBKU not to wait further, but act on the accident-prone areas with frequent mishaps in particular as the priority of the road users should be of the utmost importance.
“We do not need to wait for something worse to happen, only then to take action,” he reminded. -DayakDaily
