by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Sunday. 26th June 1994:
Works Ministry should ensure that PLUS maintains North-South Highway in proper and safe conditions to minimise accidents and not just be interested in collecting tolls
The Works Ministry should ensure that PLUS maintains the North-South Highway in proper and safe conditions so as to minimise accidents and not just be interested in collecting tolls.
I drove from Penang to Ipoh yesterday and found that there is a fairly long stretch after the Perak state border where the North-South Highway was in a deplorable condition which creates hazards to motorists.
In this stretch, there were many areas where, without notice, there is a sudden depression, and also in places, where there is a sudden bump -which could lead to motorists losing control of their vehicles.
This part of the North-South Highway was completed a few months ago, and it is shocking that in so short a period, so many sudden depressions and bumps have emerged – indicative of the poor quality of highway construction by PLUS. This also reflects poorly on the Ministry of works which was responsible for supervising the construction of the North-South Highway.
The Works Minister, Datuk Leo Moggie should direct PLUS to repair this stretch of the North-South Highway so that PLUS lives up to its claim of providing a smoother, faster and safer highway in return for collecting heft tolls from the highway users.