Johor bahru: In a bid to better understand the residents' complaints about road conditions, Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Puteri Wangsa state seat, Dr Maszlee Malik, today took up a challenge to drive a Perodua Myvi from Kampung Melayu Tebrau to Ulu Tiram.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the challenge, which involved driving a Perodua Myvi - popularly known as the 'King of the Road' - was intended to allow Maszlee to experience first-hand the bumpy, uneven roads and chronic traffic congestion that residents have endured for years.
The former education minister spent time driving along the route and observing traffic conditions and road quality from Kampung Melayu Tebrau to Ulu Tiram to better understand the grievances frequently raised by residents on social media.
"We started from Petron Kampung Melayu, passing through Pandan and Kangkar Tebrau before reaching Ulu Tiram, then turned back towards the city. I took up the challenge from netizens who asked me to drive a Myvi so I could experience the road conditions for myself.
"What they said is absolutely true. The roads are uneven, and it felt like riding a boat in Tanjung Surat - swaying and jolting because of the road conditions. It was like travelling in a traditional wooden boat," he said during a visit to the Bernama Operations Room in conjunction with the Johor state election here today.
Maszlee said the drive gave him first-hand experience of vehicles being jolted and bounced along uneven stretches of road, while also having to contend with severe traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours.
The former Simpang Renggam Member of Parliament said the infrastructure issues were far from trivial and expressed confidence that they could be addressed through more comprehensive urban planning and closer inter-agency cooperation.
"I believe these issues can be resolved, but they require close collaboration with the Public Works Department (JKR), urban planners, and other relevant stakeholders," he said.
He said traffic congestion in areas such as Taman Daya, Taman Pelangi Indah, and several locations around Tebrau was largely the result of rapid development that had not been matched by upgrades to the existing road network.
He added that resolving the issue would require long-term planning and active engagement with the local community.
"I have served at the federal and ministerial levels, so I understand the processes involved in addressing issues like these," he said.
He said that if given the mandate, his approach would be to first listen to the people before identifying priorities and working towards the best solutions to the issues raised by residents.
The Puteri Wangsa state seat will see a five-cornered contest in the upcoming Johor state election, involving Maszlee, Rashifa Aljunied of MUDA, Teow Chia Ling of Barisan Nasional (BN), Nicholas Paul Vincent of Parti Bersama Malaysia, and Wang Wee Siong, an independent candidate.
The Puteri Wangsa constituency has 128,723 registered voters, comprising 128,525 ordinary voters and 198 police personnel and their spouses.
Polling for the Johor state election will be held on July 11, with early voting scheduled for July 7.