City Hall, Penampang District Council urged to be more diligent on maintenance
Published on: Wednesday, June 22, 2022
By: Sidney Skinner
.jpg "City Hall, Penampang District Council urged to be more diligent on maintenance")
The Council’s workers hard at work cutting the grass on verges around Taman Hiburan.
City Hall (DBKK) and the Penampang District Council staff have been reminded to be more diligent in checking on the road and drain reserves under their maintenance to ensure that the greenery on this land does not become a nuisance or endanger the public.This follows feedback from Sembulan, Luyang and Penampang rate-payers about the lack of maintenance carried out in the common areas of their respective neighbourhoods.
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The first was concerned about some trees which loomed over the compound of the home being used by an non-government organisation (NGO), while the other two feared that dangerous reptiles might be breeding in the overgrown grass near their residences.
They provided Hotline with the location of these irregularities which was forwarded to the respective agencies.
A City Hall spokesman said a preliminary check was made of Lorong Ikan Pepuyu, in Sembulan, by staff from its Landscaping Department (LD) shortly thereafter.
“They noted that there were several acacia trees growing on an open space beside the NGO’s premises,” he said.
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“The trees had grown to so tall that part of their canopies extended over the front yard of the house, as well as the road leading to the building.”
He said there was a high possibility of the overgrown branches breaking at any time, especially given the heavy rains which occasionally lashed the State Capital.
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“Depending on their size, the falling branches could either damage the property – including cars parked in the compound – or, worse still, injure anyone caught underneath.”
A skylift was deployed to help City Hall workers prune these Sembulan trees.
Owing to this, an eight-man team from the agency went to the neighbourhood a few days later, according to him.
He said a “skylift” and an open truck were deployed to facilitate efforts to prune the trees.
“The ‘mandur’ (supervisor) has been asked to keep an eye on the greenery in this part of Sembulan to ensure that this problem does not recur.
“The trees growing in the common areas are trimmed as and when it becomes necessary to do so.”
The spokesman said the LD was in the midst of checking on the condition of a back-yard drain, off Lorong Palas 1B in Luyang.
“Our workers will be sent to attend to the drain and greenery on the reserve beside this structure, if this needs to be done,” he said.
PATRICIA of Sembulan said the trees next to her fence in Taman Sempelang, had become very thick and tall.
“I have noticed that they sway vigorously from side to side when there is a strong wind blowing,” she said.
“I am afraid that the top half of the trees might snap off and tumble onto my house.”
“Drivers and pedestrians passing by might also come to harm as and when this happens.”
On top of this, Patricia feared that the electricity lines closest to the trees might be severed in two under the weight of branches falling from the trees.
“All of us in the neighbourhood could be left for hours without power in such an instance.”
JON of Luyang said water had been stagnating in the common drain behind homes at a section of Taman Jindo.
“Those of us living nearby have to keep our doors and windows closed to minimise the nuisance created by the stench coming into our homes,” he said.
He claimed that the drain had not been cleared in “months”.
“Off late, more and more mosquitoes have been coming indoors. I fear that these insects may have made their habitat in the drain.”
Jon also bemoaned the nuisance created by the overgrown grass and trees growing on the side of this structure.
“Some of my neighbours have seen monitor lizards and snakes moving about among the undergrowth.
“It is only a matter of time before these reptiles infiltrate their compounds and bite their pets.”
Meanwhile, the Council has trimmed the grass on road reserves around Taman Hiburan.
A spokesman for the agency said this work was generally carried out on a monthly basis.
“Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the relevant section has been asked to adhere to this schedule,” he said.
“We will make random checks of the residential areas under our purview to ensure that our rate-payers are being served as they should.”
LIEW, who lives along Lorong Hiburan 6, said greenery on the verges in the housing area had not been tended to for some time.
“In several places the long grass is so long that you can barely make out the pavements in front of our homes,” he said.
“The situation is especially hazardous to those going on foot. Any misstep could see them falling in front of an oncoming vehicle.”
Liew was under the impression that the Council was turning a blind eye to the maintenance of the common areas there.
“I pay about RM527 in assessment to the agency on a quarterly basis.
“I think it is unfair to have to fork out for services which are, at best, unreliable.”
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