Potholes a menace to motorists

Pic from Sin Chew Daily

The huge pothole in Jalan Segambut Utara poses a danger to motorists. Pics by Salhani Ibrahim

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/potholes-a-menace-to-motorists-1.12631 (By VEENA BABULAL, 30/11/2011)
Three large potholes in a free parking lot behind the RHB bank in Jalan Segambut Utara is a menace to motorists of the business district. The largest of the holes was found to measure about 1.5m in diameter and 15cm deep. Streets found that the holes were so large that motorists entering the car park would try to avoid one hole but would inevitably end up in another. Some unsuspecting motorists ended up in all three holes as the cars parked there had blocked the view of the holes. The parking lot as well as the surrounding roads of Jalan Segambut Tengah and Jalan Segambut Pusat were also riddled with potholes.
Cheryl Chia, a visitor, said the problem was compounded by insufficient parking space in the business area. "Car owners using the parking lot which has ample parking space risk getting a flat and their undercarriage damaged. Motorcyclists can also fall and hurt themselves badly as the road is slippery and full of puddles now," said the 52-year-old housewife.
Segambut member of parliament Lim Lip Eng said based on the complaints received, the holes appeared at least three months ago. Since then complaints about the three gaping holes have accounted for most of the complaints he has received on potholes. "I have informed City Hall numerous times. However, besides temporarily covering the holes with sand, no follow-up action by City Hall has been taken," he said.
"I find it strange that the holes would appear at the parking lot and back alley of shops since heavy vehicles do not ply there. Most potholes appear on busy roads and in residential areas," he said, adding that the building material used for the construction of roads in the city was generally of inferior quality. The patch-up jobs were shoddy, Lim claimed.
"Potholes seem to be re-appearing so often that I wonder whether the contractors are doing the patching job according to proper specifications," he said, adding that he received at least three complaints on potholes daily.
Lim claimed that he could not reach the call centre on weekends and public holidays, contrary to media reports on its working hours.
When City Hall call centre was launched last year, reports stated that members of the public can contact it 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Lim said the service provided by the call centre lags behind that of other countries, citing United Kingdom as an example. Complainants there have only to log on to the council's website and register their problems and it would be followed up immediately. He urged mayor Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail to consider his suggestion of setting up a 10-member squad team to respond to complaints on potholes as well as survey the roads in search of potholes to patch.

Related news: Motorists irked by huge potholes http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/12/7/central/9990531&sec=central