by DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 6: The Works Ministry (KKR) is committed to resolving complaints regarding potholes on Federal roads, including in Sarawak, within 24 hours.
Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan gave this assurance in response to a supplementary question by Mohamad Shafizan Haji Kepli (GPS–Batang Lupar) during the Dewan Rakyat’s Question-and-Answer session today. The latter had inquired about the timeframe KKR takes to address road damage complaints.
According to a news report by TVS, Ahmad Maslan emphasised that the 24-hour timeline had been set in the Ministry’s standard operating procedure (SOP) and must be adhered to by all relevant agencies.
“If there are potholes on Federal roads, they must be patched within 24 hours. That is our SOP. We want the roads used by the people to be safe and well-maintained,” he said.
This commitment, he said, is especially important for a state like Sarawak, which has challenging terrain and an extensive road network, including Federal roads and the Pan Borneo Highway, which are the main transportation arteries for the people.
Ahmad Maslan added that other road-related complaints, such as broken signs, road obstructions, street lights, traffic lights, and landslides are given a maximum action period of 15 working days.
He also explained the causes of potholes and damaged roads, including unpredictable weather and frequent rain, heavy vehicles exceeding the load limit, the long lifespan of the roads, the quality of the pavement and bitumen used.
Regarding the proposed construction of an elevated road in peatland areas, which often cause the road surface to become undulating and uneven, Ahmad Maslan explained that the Ministry would conduct technical and geotechnical studies first before considering the most suitable construction method.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Maslan also informed that the MyJalan mobile application is now undergoing major upgrades that allow users to report road damage even if they are not at the scene of the incident.
He added that this technology also makes it easier for more citizens to voice public infrastructure problems, especially in rural and remote areas such as in Sarawak.
“Now users do not need to be physically at the location of the damage. They just need to know the location of the damaged road and set a pin on the map in the MyJalan application before filling out the complaint form,” he said in response to a question from Mohamad Shafizan regarding complaint statistics and the MyJalan application’s achievements in resolving road damage complaints in Sarawak.
He also urged all elected representatives to play an active role in promoting the use of the application, so that more damaged roads can be identified and repaired immediately. – DayakDaily
