Selvakumar with his children at their neighbourhood’s playground where one swing and rubber mats on the ground are missing.
THE Covid-19 pandemic has left its mark on playgrounds in Johor Baru, many of which are in need of maintenance and repairs after long periods of disuse and misuse.
Parents who have been bringing their children to these places in larger numbers recently were shocked by the facilities’ dilapidated condition after two years of the pandemic.
StarMetro visited several spots in Johor’s capital city and found that in some of these places, the equipment – mainly swings and slides – were damaged or broken.
In other places, rubbish, especially used face masks, was strewn everywhere.
Lim Chian Hui, 29, said that before the pandemic, going to the park with her two children was an enojoyable activity.
“My children would go to the playground in Taman Impian Emas, Skudai at least twice a week.
“We had to stop our outings due to Covid-19, and started going back only recently.
“We were shocked to find the playground equipment covered with algae.
“The drains were also not properly cleaned and there were a lot of mosquitoes,” she said.
Lim hoped the city council would visit the playground and spruce it up.
Tan Sue Mien, 41, too enjoyed spending time with her children at playgrounds around her neighbourhood in Taman Desa Tebrau but was appalled by the facilities’ condition presently.
“The equipment has been vandalised.
“One of the plastic slides had a huge hole. It looked like someone had set fire to it,” she said.
A concrete bench had also given way, exposing the metal rods beneath.
Sue Mien said such poorly maintained playgrounds were a danger to children and hoped that the city council would rectify the problems.
T. Selvakumar, 43, who had also started bringing his three children to their neighbourhood playground in Tebrau, said there were a lot of mosquitoes.
“I am worried about dengue fever as my children get bitten by mosquitoes when they go to the park.“I think the local council should carry out spot checks as some parks have become a dumping ground for rubbish during the pandemic,” he said.
Several concerned residents have taken to cleaning and beautifying playgrounds and parks in their neighbourhoods.
Retiree Tan Buck Chew, 70, said he and a few other residents decided to purchase a leaf-blower machine a year ago to keep the playground and park in Taman Impian Emas clean.
“We spent about RM600 as there was a lot of leaves on the ground and nobody came to clear them,” he said.
He hoped the city council would collect the rubbish from bins regularly to prevent monkeys from rummaging through it.
Buck Chew said he wanted to keep the area clean as he exercised there daily.
Yap Jap Bui, 55, and his wife along with another resident have been planting flowers and other plants around their park.
“Since Covid-19 two years ago, I have been jobless so I decided to do some gardening to fill my time.
“I usually spend about two hours in the morning gardening and weeding,” he said.
Yap said nearby residents should play their part in taking care of parks and playgrounds in their vicinity and not depend entirely on the local council.
Maintenance required
Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) spent about RM5.5mil annually to maintain 399 public playgrounds under its jurisdiction, said mayor Datuk Mohd Noorazam Osman.
He said the money was used to repair and replace spoilt equipment as well as maintain the facilities.
It is also used for softscaping, referring to horticultural elements as well as hardscapes, namely non-living elements in a landscape such as walkways and benches.
Mohd Noorazam said most complaints on playgrounds were about vandalised equipment.
“Some residents have also turned these areas into dumpsites,” he noted.
He stressed that children at playgrounds must always be supervised to prevent injuries from falls.
Whenever MBJB received a complaint related to injuries at these sites, he said, the council would conduct a thorough investigation to identify the cause and find solutions to prevent it from recurring.
He said MBJB would continue to upgrade playgrounds with unique designs to attract children and create a one-of-a-kind experience where they could learn and explore.
“We aim to make playgrounds a focal point for the community as a whole.
“We are also looking at installing closed-circuit television cameras as we take children’s security and safety seriously,” he said, adding that this would be done in phases.
On whether MBJB was working with property developers or residents associations (RA) to maintain playgrounds, Mohd Noorazam said the city council always welcomed initiatives by the private sector to create better living spaces for all.
“We have been working with developers on new parks in Taman Adda Heights, Taman Setia Eko and Taman Setia Tropika, among others,” he revealed.
He encouraged residents to register as Rakan Taman (Friends of Parks) members, a programme that helped to create a sense of belonging, maintain parks’ cleanliness and preserve the facilities there.
“Rakan Taman members can also report vandalism and crime at playgrounds as well as surrounding areas,” he added.
Those interested to become Rakan Taman can contact MBJB via its Landscape Department or MBJB councillors in their respective areas.
Those who want to report damaged playground equipment can WhatsApp 019-778 8212, call the MBJB hotline at 1300 88 0146 or the council’s Landscape Department at 07-228 2536/2570.
When contacted, Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) Landscape Department said it was taking care of 1,494 playgrounds.
A spokesperson said RM7.2mil was allocated for maintenance work over 18 months starting January this year.
He said the job scope for contractors included washing and painting of amenities, repair works and replacing broken items.
“Most of our facilities are broken due to vandalism, not wear and tear,” he said.
He added that MBIP also had a Rakan Taman programme to create a sense of belonging for parks among the local community.
Those in Iskandar Puteri with feedback or complaints can email callcentre@mbip.gov.my, WhatsApp 019-755 5404, call the hotline at 1300 80 5000 or go to http://aduan.mbip.gov.my
Selvakumar with his children at their neighbourhood’s playground where one swing and rubber mats on the ground are missing.
Yap tending to plants at the Taman Desa Tebrau park.
Mohd Noorazam says MBJB spends RM5.5mil annually to maintain 399 public playgrounds under its jurisdiction.
Buck Chew using a blower to clear leaves at a park in Taman Impian Emas, Skudai. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
A child going for a closer look at the hole in a slide in the Taman Desa Tebrau playground. The plastic seemed to have been burned.
