PETALING JAYA: The sound of a loud thud from underneath their vehicles as they pass through an “unseen” pothole is a nightmare for all motorists.
It usually signals a new round of repairs, with the only variation being whether it is a major or minor expense.
Despite this, many motorists do not realise they can quickly report any pothole or hazardous conditions to relevant authorities, and in some cases, claim for damages if their vehicle is damaged by the said pothole.
According to the Works Ministry (KKR), the public can report potholes and other road-related issues on federal roads through its mobile app MyJalan KKR at https:///kkr.spab.gov.my or via e-mail to pro@kkr.gov.my.
“We encourage road users to submit their complaints through MYJalan KKR as it is not only easily accessible but also provides a clear GPS location and image of the issue.
“For non-federal road complaints, we will channel the complaints to the respective stakeholders or the owners of the roads involved. KKR also has a service level agreement where potholes will be covered or treated (temporarily) within 24 hours from the time we received a complete complaint,” it said when contacted.
The ministry also revealed that it had received a total of 28,559 complaints of various categories through MyJalan KKR, of which 29.7% or 8,487 cases were for roads under its jurisdiction.
Of this number, 39.61% of complaints involved potholes, 17.41% were for damaged roads, 15.88% for streetlights and 11.54% for traffic lights.
Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua, head of the Road Safety Research Centre at Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Engineering Faculty, said by law, motorists can claim compensation from authorities in charge of maintaining that road.
He said pothole damage compensation from city roads is claimed from local councils, while similar claims for highways or expressways are made to the respective expressway concessionaires.
Meanwhile, similar damage claims from potholes maintained by a federal or state agency can be done by contacting the agency.
“To claim compensation, gather evidence of the pothole and your vehicle damage, such as photos, the exact location and repair bills.
“Then contact the relevant authority and submit your claim along with any required documents, including police reports, if necessary,” said Prof Law.
“The authority will typically assess the claim and after an evaluation, they will inform you of the outcome or offer compensation if the claim is approved.”
The public can find a full list of local municipal councils to contact for pothole damage claims through the Housing and Local Government’s Local Government Department website at https://jkt.kpkt.gov.my/en/list-of-local-authorities.
Prof Law also advised road users to report any pothole to relevant local authorities or road operators, even if they are not involved in any accidents with the pothole.
“Motorists should always maintain a safe following distance between you and other vehicles to allow time to react ahead of potholes.
“They should also avoid speeding as it decreases your reaction time to road hazards,” he said.
“It is especially crucial to ensure your vehicle is adequately maintained, particularly for tyres and suspension, as this helps it absorb the imperfections of the road better and prevent a more serious accident from occurring.”
The issue of deadly potholes gained prominence after a motorcyclist died when he hit a pothole, which then flung him from his motorcycle on the Lido flyover in Kota Kinabalu on Feb 3.
The motorcyclist’s family filed for compensation from the state Public Works Department through a notice of demand on Monday.
