Chong urges relevant parties to fix Timberland’s pedestrian bridge escalators

The escalators have not been functional for over a year, Chong said. — Photo from Facebook/Chong Chieng Jen

KUCHING (Jan 28): Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen on Saturday called for immediate actions to restore operations of escalators connecting the overhead bridge opposite Timberland Medical Centre here.

He said they have not been functioning for over a year, and has caused great inconvenience for patients from the hospital in crossing the road to the opposite side.

“The complaint we received claimed the escalators have not been working for over a year and members of the public had raised the matter to both the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Public Works Department (JKR),” he said in a Facebook Live when inspecting the overhead bridge at Jalan Rock here today.

Chong said both MBKS and JKR have refused to take responsibility over the escalators, with both agencies claiming the other party should oversee the maintenance of the facilities and overhead bridge.

“The local council has claimed the responsibility lies with JKR to maintain the escalators but on the other hand, JKR responded by saying it was MBKS that should oversee the maintenance. However, both are agencies under the state government.”

Chong said having the escalators and overhead bridge in such poor state of maintenance will hurt the public image of Kuching city, as well as pose unnecessary inconvenience to the patients and residents nearby.

He added the overhead bridge was also littered with rubbish during his inspection today.

“The construction of the escalator overhead bridge involved significant costs and it should not be abandoned just like this.”

Chong said his special assistant Michael Kong had written to MBKS to highlight the issue and he hoped the relevant authority will take immediate action to restore the operation of the escalators soon.

“The idea of having an escalator overhead bridge near the hospital is a noble one but it is certainly a waste of public fund if the running of escalators there has been neglected or not properly maintained,” said Chong.

Some of the online comments posted had claimed the facilities as a ‘white elephant’ project that wasted public fund after being abandoned and others remarked the relevant authorities had failed to look after the welfare of the community.

from Borneo Post Online https://ift.tt/f85cnrE
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