TAWAU: Sri Tanjung assemblyman Jimmy Wong is unhappy with the quality and condition of the new toilet at Tawau Central Market after visiting the washroom, yesterday.
Jimmy said with the big allocation, the toilet should have been impressive, with a first class look and high quality materials used.
“The materials are of poor quality, and the workmanship is poor and shabby. There are leaks and some flush at the men’s toilet are already not working because the materials used are of poor quality.
“The tiles finishing at the wash bowl is bad and can cause injury to the public, especially to small children. Have a look for yourself and tell me that it is a RM200,000 toilet,” he said.
Jimmy said some women had also complained that the women’s toilet’s finishing was rough and their dresses got caught at the edges of walls and doors.
“On behalf of the public, I demand the toilet to be redone. Change the faucets, flush and pipes with quality ones. The finishing must be professionally done and not shabby as it is now. This is for the public, using public money and it must be worth the RM200,000,” he said.
Jimmy said he had met Tawau Municipal Council (TMC) president Datuk Ismail Mayakob and was informed that the budget to renovate or repair the central market would be out this year. “The public and traders’ expectations are high after so many years. Leaks in the ceiling, pipes clogged, chairs and tables damaged, lightings and fans not working, the floor tiles not polished as stipulated in the agreement of the contractor, and many more,” he said. He said he hoped the council would award the work to qualified contractors as this would save the council on maintenance and repair works. “As we see it now, the newly completed toilet in already in need of repairs. This should not be so if the contractor is a qualified one,” he said. On September 10 last year, the Local Government and Housing Ministry approved RM350,000 for the repair of the lift and building of a public toilet at the market. Its minister Datuk Hajiji Noor had directed the Tawau Municipal Council to submit the cost needed to repair the ceiling of the market which houses more than 700 traders. He said RM200,000 was allocated for the public toilet, and RM150,000 for the lift. The estimated cost of repair of the ceiling was between RM300,000 and RM500,000, and he wanted to know the exact cost before looking for funds.