KLANG - Fed up with constantly having to navigate his vehicle around potholes in his neighbourhood, a Klang resident recently decided to take matters into his own hands.
Social activist Mikhael Iskhandhaar hired some workers to patch 10 potholes along Jalan Hulubalang in Taman Sentosa, Selangor, which garnered him attention on social media.
Not only that, he also painted the words “Duit Saya” – “my money” in Malay – on the largest tarred patch that covered one of the big potholes.
When contacted, Mr Mikhael said his main purpose in carrying out the “patch job” was to shame the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) into doing what it is supposed to do – maintain Klang properly.
The 46-year-old said his intention was also to show that the material and methods used by the MPK-appointed contractors were not of good quality.
“That is why the potholes keep reappearing soon after repair. It is important for potholes to be properly patched up for them to last longer,” he added.
According to Mr Mikhael, it cost him only RM1,300 (S$370) to patch up the 10 potholes with newly blended tar with a high glue content, as well as using a compactor machine.
“It is very affordable, and I do not see why good-quality material and sufficient compacting cannot be used to ensure the patching lasts longer,” he said.
Mr Mikhael added that he chose that particular stretch of road because it was in front of a primary school, and he did not want anything untoward to happen in the event that a vehicle goes out of control because of the potholes.
“Recently, the front tyre of my friend’s motorbike got stuck in one of the potholes there,” he said.
Mr Mikhael said he wants to launch a similar exercise throughout Klang to pressure MPK into doing its job of maintaining the roads properly.
“I urge all Klang residents who feel strongly about this to contact me so that we can do the same in other pothole-riddled road stretches in Klang,” he added.
Mr Mikhael also said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s efforts to reform the nation would be pointless if public servants were inefficient in serving the people.
“Public servants have to buck up and cannot be old-fashioned in their thinking any more.
“So please contact me at admin@jingga13global.com if you want to help me in my efforts to ‘reform’ Klang,” said Mr Mikhael, a coordinator at reformist non-governmental organisation Jingga 13 Malaysia.
He urged Klang residents to lodge more complaints about sub-standard public amenities to jolt the local council into doing the necessary. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
