RECURRING potholes and illegal dumping continue to trouble Ipoh folk in Gunung Rapat and Taman Pinji Mewah, with residents, traders and road users calling for long-term solutions.
The problem is obvious along Jalan Gunung Rapat, a congested stretch serving a school, wet market and multiple residential areas.
Road users and market traders said potholes continued to reappear despite repeated patching works by the authorities.
Pasar Gunung Rapat trader Sanisah Baharudin, 53, said potholes had become a recurring problem along Jalan Gunung Rapat near the market.
“I have been trading here for many years and this issue keeps coming back.
“There should be a permanent solution instead of temporary patch-up works.
“Potholes are starting to reappear despite the road having been resurfaced about two years ago,” she said.
Sanisah said some of the patched sections were damaged by heavy vehicles plying the road.
“There should be a long-term solution before the roads deteriorate further,” she added.
“Better quality repair works would minimise recurring damage and keep the roads in good condition for a longer period.”
Garment seller B. Gohulabalan, 51, said a pothole had formed directly in front of his stall following renovation works at the wet market.
“After renovation works, the road was not properly restored. Over time, the surface gave way and a large pothole formed in front of my stall,” he said.
Besides the road damage, Gohulabalan said traders were also dealing with clogged drains and maintenance issues.
“I placed plywood over the open, rubbish-filled drains. Sometimes, we traders end up cleaning the drains,” he said.
“We are paying for our business licence, so I hope the authorities will look into this.”
Food stall operator R. Thamayanthi, 59, said the road should be completely resurfaced due to the high volume of vehicles using Jalan Gunung Rapat.
“The potholes on this road pose a danger to motorists and pedestrians alike,” she said.
“The situation becomes even more hazardous during heavy rain, as pooling water hides the potholes.
“Motorists cannot see how deep they are and may accidentally drive into them.
“Ipoh City Council needs to look into this issue because it concerns public safety.”
Bumpy residential roads
According to Taman Pinji Mewah residents, many roads have deteriorated over the years.
Fishmonger Lim Tiong An, 61, said potholes were a common sight in the neighbourhood.
“The roads are in poor condition and there are many potholes around Taman Pinji Mewah.
“This has been going on for many years,” he said.
Resident Lee Tiek Beng, 52, said contractors hired by the city council should prioritise durable, long-term repairs instead of temporary patch jobs.
“The potholes keep recurring. A better solution is needed as the same areas are constantly in need of repairs.
“It is better to do quality work so the road can last for many years,” he added.
During a visit by StarMetro, damage was observed on several road sections along Persiaran Zarib 5 and Persiaran Zarib 6, with the road surface showing clear signs of wear and deterioration.
Resident Tan Jin Choo, 87, said Persiaran Zarib 5 continued to worsen despite inspections by the authorities.
She said some residents had taken matters into their own hands by carrying out minor repairs.
“Some of us filled in smaller potholes ourselves because we want the roads to be safe for everyone,” she said.
She said permanent solutions should come from the relevant authorities and not the residents.
Besides damaged roads, Taman Pinji Mewah residents are also concerned about illegal dumping.
At a site in Hala Pegoh 27, piles of rubbish lined the roadside, creating an eyesore and emitting a foul odour.
Jin Choo said illegal dumping was an ongoing problem.
“There is a lot of rubbish being dumped at this area and the smell is unpleasant.
“There are signboards prohibiting illegal dumping, yet people continue to dispose of their waste here,” she said.
She urged the public to be responsible and play their part in keeping the environment clean.
“Everyone should dispose of their rubbish properly and keep the area clean,” she added.
Shop assistant Fatimah Said, 53, said illegal dumping should not occur when waste collection services were available.
“Improperly discarded waste can create health hazards and attract mosquitoes and pests.
“The public should take responsibility for their surroundings and work together to maintain cleanliness,” she said.
Measures taken, challenges
When contacted, Simpang Pulai assemblyman Wong Chai Yi said the pothole problem along Jalan Gunung Rapat was caused by a combination of factors, including heavy traffic.
Water ponding due to downpours and a weakened road sub-base resulting from previously halted underground pipe-jacking works had contributed to the problem too, she said.
She added that plans for comprehensive resurfacing along Jalan Gunung Rapat and Jalan Rokam had been delayed due to the Papan 3 Sewerage Project.
The project, Wong said, was halted in January 2023 after contractors encountered the area’s unique limestone formations, causing severe issues and fractured rocks at the site.
“This instability led to localised sinkholes and structural cracking in nearby houses.
“When the contractor encountered these cavities and fractured rock zones, the existing cutter head machinery was unable to drill through.
“This disrupted pipe-jacking works, and slowed down ground progress,” she added.
To find a safe way forward, she said the contractor initiated a geological soil investigation.
Wong said a new application for additional funding to address the project’s complex geological challenges was currently being processed by the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra).
“The immediate challenge is that the additional funding requires federal or parliamentary approval, while the completion of this major infrastructure project is expected to take at least another three years.
“Pending Petra’s approval, we cannot allow our local roads to continue to deteriorate,” she said, adding that efforts were underway to secure separate funding for road improvement works.
She said the city council submitted an application earlier this year to the Housing and Local Government Ministry seeking RM981,000 for an interim resurfacing project covering the stretch from the Gunung Rapat wet market to the Ipoh Jaya shop lot area.
“Earlier this year, we applied for a full resurfacing of Lorong Gunung Rapat 5 (the road behind the wet market) and Persiaran Gunung Rapat 3 under the Chinese New Village Bureau (BKBC) Housing and Local Government Ministry allocation.
“The Persiaran Gunung Rapat 3 allocation was approved and works were completed this month,” she said.
“The application for Lorong Gunung Rapat 5 is still pending.”
Wong said the city council completed a full resurfacing project in 2023 along the stretch from Jalan Besar, Kampung Gunung Rapat to the end
of the wet market area along Jalan Gunung Rapat which was not affected by sewerage alignment.
For the remaining affected sections, Wong said she would request the city council to conduct site inspections and carry out immediate repairs on areas outside the scope of the federal sewerage project.
“This includes addressing the exposed pipe highlighted by traders,” she said.
“My office has received regular complaints about Jalan Gunung Rapat over the past two years, and we regard this as a high-priority matter.
“The frustration of the local community is justified and I want to provide transparency on the complex technical hurdles we are facing, as well as the immediate multi-tiered actions being taking to resolve this.”
Regarding the issue at Taman Pinji Mewah, Gopeng MP Tan Kar Hing said efforts were underway to improve road conditions there.
“We have applied to the Housing and Local Government Ministry and Ipoh City Council for road resurfacing in several areas, particularly in Taman Pinji Mewah,” he said.
“So far, we have secured one approval to resurface the main road at Lintasan Pegoh 3.”
On the illegal dumping issues, Kar Hing said he had not received any complaints on the matter.
He said he had identified a few measures that could be considered to address the illegal dumping problem, including installing close circuit TV cameras, placing physical barriers, beautifying the area and adding warning signage.
In a Facebook post, Kar Hing said he visited an illegal dumping site in Taman Pinji Mewah, where waste was believed to be mainly from repeated domestic disposal.
He said the city council had previously assisted in cleaning up the area, but the problem had resurfaced.
Kar Hing said cooperation from all parties was needed to keep residential areas clean.
Comments from the city council and Perak local government committee member Sandrea Ng were pending at press time.
