MIRI: At this time when many own at least one mobile phone, the public phone or pay phone seems quaint and outdated and its usage has been on the decline.
A vandalised public phone found at the five-foot way at High Street, Miri.
It had a few good years before the mobile phone boom started. With emergence of various cheap or affordable models and attractive packages and incentives offered by the telecommunication service providers more and more people opted for mobile phones and disregarded the fixed line phone at home.
Although they seem to be on the decline a few units of public phones (less than 20) were spotted along five-foot ways in the city centre here. However, all are not functioning or have been vandalised.
According to the public and some shop operators, the phones have been in such conditions for quite a long time. They seemed to be left abandoned without maintenance and not repaired or replaced by the service provider.
The abandoned phones, particularly the vandalised units, project a bad and negative image and impression of the people by outsiders.
As such, the service provider is called to either remove or repair them as they are still important and crucial particularly during emergency.