JOHOR BAHRU, July 3 — Road maintenance requires the commitment and cooperation of all stakeholders, including elected representatives and relevant agencies, to ensure issues are addressed promptly, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan said.
He said he has instructed the Public Works Department (JKR) to expedite repairs on damaged roads and urged all parties to play their respective roles in ensuring the maintenance process runs smoothly.
“If a road is found to be in poor condition, the assemblyman, Member of Parliament and relevant local agencies must take action to address the issue.
“In Johor, there are 10 district JKR offices. I have visited all of them and received development briefings. I have urged them to act quickly whenever there are roads that require attention,” he told Bernama here yesterday.
Ahmad was commenting on the actions of Pakatan Harapan candidate for the Puteri Wangsa state seat, Dr Maszlee Malik, who recently drove along Jalan Tebrau to assess road conditions in the area.
On June 29, Maszlee drove a Perodua Myvi from Kampung Melayu Majidi to Ulu Tiram after receiving numerous complaints on social media regarding road conditions and traffic congestion along the route.
The former Education Minister later shared his experience, saying his vehicle jolted at several stretches due to uneven road surfaces and that he encountered heavy traffic during peak hours.
Meanwhile, Ahmad explained that allocations for the maintenance of federal roads, highways and bridges are channelled through the State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN) and the state executive council.
He said the process enables applications to be assessed and prioritised before approval is granted. — Bernama