KUCHING: At least four road accidents are reported weekly at a sharp bend at a road near the Matang Family Park here.
Chiew showing the letter dated Sept 15 to MPP at the press conference, together with Aziz.
Pointing this out, Batu Kawah assemblywoman Christina Chiew added this should warrant the authorities concerned taking serious action instead of merely replacing the existing railings, which have been damaged resulting from accidents on a regular basis.
“I have spoken with the security guard of the park who told me accidents happened almost every day, especially when it rained. He added that two to three accidents could happen in an hour during a rainy day.
“The guard even pointed out he did not feel safe as at times some cars would skid on the curve on the wet road that almost hit the guard house. And if you care to pay the site a visit, you would see a lot of damaged car parts there,” she told a news conference at the DAP’s headquarters here yesterday.
Chiew opined that the railings lined up along the bend served no safety purposes for they always got damaged after being rammed by vehicles.
“No doubt that the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) replaces the railings regularly. But it does not help that the replaced ones get damaged again in two or so days.”
To make it worse, she said some road users noticed the railings and the curve only when they were up close, which could be a little too late for them to reduce the speed and avoid ramming the railings.
According to her, neither railings nor speed bumps could help address or solve the problem.
She therefore proposed for the authorities put up warning signs along that particular stretch of road to urge users to slow down.
MPP and Public Works Department (JKR), she said, ought to emulate what was done at the Sebangkoi/Sarikei Road, which used to be an accident-prone area.
To effectively reduce the accident rate, she said the authorities had drawn transverse road marking, installed reflective road signs and safety warnings as well as street lights and traffic light warnings at the Sebangkoi/Sarikei Road.
“More often than not, road users near the park are students and teachers because there is a polytechnic school in the area. I have been receiving complaints over the last couple of days.
“Furthermore, the matter was highlighted in a Chinese daily early last month, yet no concrete action has been taken so far. MPP chairman Lo Khere Chiang was even quoted as saying that he was aware of the matter but all he did was to urge the public to be extra cautious,” Chiew added.
She said the advice would be an empty solution if the local authority failed to engage proactive measures in alleviating the problem.
She added a letter on the subject matter had been delivered to both MPP and JKR on Sept 15 to push for immediate action with an ultimate aim of saving lives.
Among those present was state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s special assistant Abdul Aziz Isa.