[UPDATE: 8 October – 4:28pm] The minister has said that ever since he gave out his phone number yesterday, he has been overwhelmed with hundreds of phone calls regarding potholes. Shahidan asks that citizens who wish to report a complaint text him instead.
[ORIGINAL ARTICLE: 7 October – 07:35pm]
Those who live in Kuala Lumpur are no strangers to numerous potholes on the streets and highways; many of which are hazardous and some, even fatal. In response to Batu MP P. Prabakaran who brought up the issue in parliament today, Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim pulled a bold move and gave out his personal phone number so he can be contacted by citizens.
Shahidan said that he was aware of the “appalling” conditions of roads in the city and that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is continuously monitoring construction sites, main roads, and central business districts to ensure they are paved and maintained.
He then gave the contact information for himself, his deputy, and the mayor and said that the public can file a complaint about unfixed potholes or any other issues regarding unmaintained road surfaces. The minister gave an assurance that all complaints regarding potholes will be addressed by DBKL within 24 hours. “We want to be the best for Malaysia,” said the minister, with applause from the Batu MP.
For those of you who want to directly contact the top executives regarding road issues in KL, here are the numbers provided by Shahidan himself:
- Federal Territories Minister Shahidan Kassim — 019-4545111
- Deputy FT Minister Jalaluddin Alias — 019-6524444
- KL Mayor Mahadi Che Ngah — 016-2068883
Of course, you can also use the conventional method of submitting pictures and the location of the road issue to the DBKL Potholes Complaint WhatsApp hotline at 011-62396652.
