Fix potholes properly, urge M’sians

PETALING JAYA: Having endured poor road conditions over the years, Malaysians are urging the authorities to act fast as the longstanding problem is posing a risk to road users.

They are also calling on the authorities not to adopt a temporary solution to fix pothole problems plaguing the roads nationwide.

Afiq Azri Mohd Abdul Salam Subrayar said he almost got into an accident several times due to poor roadworks to patch up potholes.

“While the authorities do repair the road and cover up the potholes from time to time, they usually do not last.

“After a few months, they will reappear. Sometimes, the roadwork is so bad, leading to uneven roads and posing a threat to road users, ” he said.

Afiq, who is a mechanic, also said the authorities were slow in fixing the potholes, especially those located near the Pasir Gudang highway in Johor.

“One of my customers had to fork out thousands of ringgit to change two rims after he accidentally drove into a pothole along the highway.

“The potholes were only patched up about a week ago but they will only last for one or two weeks as the stretch is frequented by heavy vehicles, ” said the 25-year-old.

E-hailing driver M. Devaraj, 34, said he almost got into an accident in Skudai, Johor, last month when a lorry tried to avoid the uneven road and almost rammed into his car.

“It is especially dangerous at night as motorists could not see and avoid the potholes. I was lucky at that time as the road was not busy.

“I am sure this has happened to many other road users. The authorities need to ensure that the contractors are carrying out the repairs properly, ” he said.

Pasir Gudang MCA Public Complaints Bureau deputy chief Ang Tun Chek said the death of a 27-year-old pillion rider at the Pasir Gudang highway last month should have been a wake-up call for the government to take immediate action.

“The pothole problem is a long-standing one and should have been fixed a long time ago.

“Only after the incident occurred, the authorities covered up the potholes, ” he said, adding that the stretch was also poorly lit.

Ang urged the relevant authorities to monitor areas with potholes regularly as the same problem might recur again.

Another affected victim in Selangor, Nadin Shahimi, said he had to fork out RM1,000 to repair his car’s rim that was damaged due to potholes.

“It happened last September at the highway near Setia Alam.

“My rim was broken after hitting a big pothole along the stretch, ” said the 21-year-old polytechnic student.

Nadin, who drives a Honda City, shared a picture of the pothole that was located on the middle lane of the highway, where most drivers tend to drive at a higher speed.

“During the incident, there were a lot of other vehicles, so I could not avoid hitting the pothole.

“Just a few weeks before, the potholes were patched up by the authorities but they reappeared and became bigger, ” he said, adding that there were several potholes on the same highway.

Nadin urged the authorities to be more efficient when receiving such reports and to fix the roads immediately to avoid any untoward incidents.

Digital executive Mohamad Alif also experienced an unpleasant incident where he fell after hitting a pothole in Shah Alam while riding his motorcycle.

The incident that took place about three months ago still haunts the 25-year-old.

“I spent RM400 on medical expenses to treat my injuries.

“I hope the authorities will carry out road inspections regularly and use better quality paving materials to ensure the safety of all road users, ” he said.

Avid cyclist KS Baljit said the poor condition of the roads along Eco Botanic, Iskandar Puteri, was due to bad weather and large trucks plying the road.

“I have been cycling since 2006. Over the years, I have crashed several times when my bicycle got stuck in potholes.

“But my injuries were not serious as I always wear a helmet and protective equipment, ” said the 45-year-old.