KUCHING: Special Assistant to MP Stampin, Michael Kong urged Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) to be more proactive in dealing with broken down roads.
He said the headmaster of SK Jalan Arang contacted MPP directly to highlight the worsening road conditions leading to the school as the stretch of road is riddled with potholes, posing a daily hazard to parents and guardians who are forced to swerve dangerously just to avoid damage or injury.
Regrettably, Kong said, despite being alerted close to two months ago, MPP failed to act. No remedial work was carried out, nor was any follow-up communicated to the school or public.
This morning, he added, out of growing frustration and concern for the safety of students and parents, the headmaster reached out to us in DAP for assistance. Only after we escalated the matter did MPP finally send personnel from its Engineering Department to inspect the site.
“This kind of delayed response reflects poorly on the effectiveness and accountability of MPP. It raises serious questions. What kind of example are we setting for our young students when even the simplest issues of public safety are left unattended? Are we teaching them that it is acceptable to ignore responsibility until someone else is forced to intervene?” King stated.
He urged local councils should carry a duty not only to provide basic services but also to uphold public confidence in governance.
“When authorities disregard direct complaints from school leadership, it signals a troubling lack of urgency and initiative,” he said. “We urge MPP to reflect on its role as a public service provider and to adopt a more proactive and responsible approach in attending to such matters. Issues of safety, especially involving school zones, must be treated with the utmost priority.”
By Connie Chieng