The Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement:
Tour of Bachang
I continued my constituency tour of Kota Barat yesterday, and visited Bachang in the company of DAP National Vice-Chairman, Daing Ibrahim bin Othman, Johore Organising Secretary, Sdr Khoo Chin Tow and DAP Malacca official, Sdr Ng Hoo Kiang.
My visit was cut short by rain after two hours. I will continue my tour next Friday, when I will visit Gajah Berang.
The complaints by all residents at Bachang are:
1. Mosquitoes: The whole area is infected with mosquitoes and flies. The Health Division of the Malacca Municipality does not seem to be a very efficient service, and is a long way from maintaining a healthy environment for the people of Malacca. Residents complain that they have not seen any Municipal worker to give anti-mosquito sprays for a very long time.
The announcement in parliament in July this year by the Minister of Local Government, Dato Ong Kee Hui, that the government was going to abolish elected local government seemed to have contributed to the lowering in efficiency and service by the Malacca Municipality.
May be, someone in the Malacca Municipality is taking the attitude that as they do not have to seek a mandate from the ratepayer in Malacca with the abolition of the local council elections, they can get away with inefficiency and incompetence.
I hope this is not the case, or I shall write to Dato Ong Kee Hui and raise the matter in Parliament and cite Malacca as the example where the mere announcement of government intention to abolish elected Municipality has gravely affected Municipality efficiency. What the people can expect when elected local government is abolished will be horrifying for the thought.
2. Broken-up roads: The January floods spoilt a large number of roads in Malacca, as those in Kampong Tujoh, and the housing estate off Jalan Ong Kim Wee. The Malacca Municipality has not taken any action to mend these roads, although they are merciless in their collection of rates, and in their exorbitant increase of assessment.
I call on the Malacca Municipality to provide the service the people of Malacca are entitled to.
3. Widening of road at Bachang that lead off to Malacca-Kuala Lumpur trunk road
The road at Bachang leading to the Malacca-Kuala Lumpur trunk road junction is too narrow for safety. With the increase in traffic, this stretch has become a very dangerous stretch for pedestrians and cyclists. I call on the government to widen this road to prevent lives being lost there.