The pothole on Jalan Gasing in Petaling Jaya was patched up after Mohd Tarmimi hit into it on June 27.
SHODDY work to repair a pothole in Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya, resulted in 35-year-old motorcyclist Mohd Tarmimi meeting with an accident recently.
In light of the incident, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) councillors Terence Tan urged MBPJ to be more strict about road repairs by utility companies and their contractors.
“There is a need for better coordination and maintenance. Work quality has to improve and it should not take too long for road repairs to be completed.
“The utility companies should provide MBPJ a schedule or report on their planned works, so the local council can ensure that the road repairs are satisfactory,” he said.
In the late afternoon incident on June 27, the kitchen helper hit the pothole, fell off his motorcycle and blacked out.
Fortunately, passers-by rushed to his aid and took Mohd Tar-mimi to a nearby hospital where he was treated for his injuries.
Tan, along with fellow MBPJ councillors Lim Yi Wei and Sean Oon, called a press conference to highlight the seriousness of the matter.
“At the Town Planning Department meeting on June 16, the local councillor for the area, Derek Fernandez, raised the issue of utility companies digging along Jalan Gasing and the improperly repaired roads.
“The pothole was patched up on June 20, but it was poorly done and that eventually resulted in Mohd Tarmimi’s accident,” said Lim.
The morning after the accident, Tan reported the problem to MBPJ’s technical pothole group and asked for the road to be repaired immediately.
The pothole was repaired the same day by the contractor of a utility company carrying out cable works at the site.
Lim credited concerned residents for alerting the office of Bukit Gasing assemblyman R. Rajiv, which contributed to swifter action.
To the question of who should repair the road, Oon said the law stated that it was ultimately the local council’s responsibility.
“Section 4 (1) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 states that the burden of responsibility is on the local council.
Although a utility company was carrying out the works, MBPJ should have ensured that the road repairs were properly done,” he said.
Oon said he would help Mohd Tarmimi with insurance claims against MBPJ for the hospital bills and motorcycle repairs.
