SHAH ALAM, July 3 - The persistent problem of drains clogged with rubbish, oils, and other waste in the Bandar Bukit Mahkota Cheras (BBMC) and Sungai Long areas, which require repeated cleaning operations, has been described as a waste of public funds that must be addressed urgently.
Kajang state assemblyman David Cheong said the issue has persisted for almost three years despite his repeated visits to inspect the affected locations, with the same problems continuing to recur.
“I have visited the sites many times since becoming the elected representative nearly three years ago, yet the situation remains unchanged. The drains are still filled with rubbish, dirty water, oil, and various other types of waste.
“Surely it cannot be the case that every time there is a problem, the elected representative has to come to the site while the drains remain dirty and blocked. I also wonder how much longer this situation will continue,” he told Media Selangor.
Cheong added that the situation not only affects the cleanliness of the area but also necessitates repeated cleaning operations, costing thousands of ringgit each time.
“BBMC does not experience flash floods, but blocked drains cause water to stagnate and produce unpleasant odours. In Sungai Long, water from the drains overflows onto the roads,” he said.
As such, Cheong has written to Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari to request the state government's intervention in coordinating action among all relevant agencies.
Copies of the letter had also been sent to the State Secretary, the state executive councillor for local government and tourism Dato' Ng Suee Lim, and Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) President Nazli Md Taib, in the hope that a meeting could be convened to find a comprehensive solution.
“Day after day, month after month and year after year, the same problem continues to occur, yet everyone remains silent and no action is taken,” he said.
Cheong urged for all relevant agencies to come together to identify the root causes and implement a long-term solution to prevent the issue from recurring.
“I urge all the relevant parties to sit down together and resolve this issue once and for all. Otherwise, every time the problem occurs, we have to call in vacuum tankers and pay cleaning costs amounting to several thousand ringgit.
“All of this is funded by taxpayers' money. As an elected representative, I can only visit the site and raise the issue, but resolving it requires the cooperation of all the agencies involved,” he said.
