There has been another avoidable death in Malaysia, when a 31-year-old Grab Food delivery rider in Mutiara Damansara hit a pothole at Jalan PJU 7/2 yesterday, causing him to lose control of his bike before crashing on the side of the road.
The previous morning, a 75-year-old man was found dead at the site of a motor-cycle accident linked to a pothole along Jalan Tengah in Kuala Lumpur.
How many in Malaysia had been killed by potholes in the country?
How many more are to die because of potholes before the authorities take firm action to fulfil the pledge of “no potholes” on public roads in Malaysia, made by the Public Works Department (JKK) in 2016?
In countries where there public integrity is taken seriously, the Works Minister who has responsibility over the Public Works Department would have resigned over the failure to honour the pledge of “no potholes” on public roads in Malaysia, made by the Public Works Department (JKR) in 2016.
Can the Minister for Works, Fadillah Yusof, who was BN Minister for
Works for five years from 2013-2018 and has a second stint as Works Minister in the Perikatan Nasional Government from March 1 last year tell how many Malaysians had died because of potholes on public roads?
In his New Year Eve Message, the Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin spoke about the PN’s government’s five priorities, one of which is to “strengthen Malaysia’s position on the world stage”.
Is this the way – Malaysians dying because of accidents over potholes – to strengthen the country’s position on the world stage?
Malaysia is fast reduced to a joke in the world – with Malaysians dying because of kakistocracy in the country.
The country has never been reduced to such a farcical state before.
Will the Muhyiddin Cabinet wake up and bestir itself to launch an :”Operation No Potholes” to ensure that no more Malaysians would die because of potholes in Malaysia?
Malaysia is notorious enough as a kleptocracy because of the world-class 1MDB scandal.
Malaysia is again notorious being the only country in the world during the Covid-19 pandemic operating without an effective Minister of Health, who had incapacitated himself with a series of fiascos like “warm water cure for Covid-19”, “500 countries” and “15 states in Malaysia” gaffes.
Are Malaysians fated to have more kakistocratic Ministers?
As a first step in a “Operation No Potholes”, the government should pay the families of victims of potholes in Malaysia an extra gratia payment as compensation as admission of the government’s responsibility in failing to ensure no potholes on public roads in Malaysia.
Lim Kit Siang
MP for Iskandar Puteri
