This situation creates a negative perception of the department, which is currently responsible for managing 18,117km of federal roads nationwide – a task that is far from easy.
The department hopes the public will take note of the different categories of roads, and the authorities responsible for them, to facilitate the channelling of complaints:
- State roads: State governments
- Tolled highways: Concession companies
- Municipal roads: Local councils
- Agricultural roads: Drainage and irrigation department
- Village roads: Local councils, district offices, and JKR (for Sarawak)
Urban planner and transportation expert from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Zamreen Amin, said all parties should play their part in maintaining the roads, including educating users about the relevant authorities responsible for each category.
He said that local authorities should play a larger role and help ease the burden of complaints received by JKR.
“They are key players in ensuring that facilities, including roads, are well-managed, especially in densely populated cities,” he told FMT.
“Local authorities also need to assist by providing better complaint platforms for the community to engage with for the sake of public convenience,” said Zamreen.
He added that it would be best if the MyJalan application became the standard for use by all local authorities and state governments.
The works ministry introduced the MyJalan app last year to facilitate the reporting of any road damage, non-functioning street lights, landslides, flooding, and more.
Through its “No Wrong Door” policy, MyJalan channels complaints based on the different road categories, so users may rest assured that their grouses reach the right authority.
Data from August 2023 to Sept 6, 2024, indicates that out of 18,878 complaints, 5,857 involved roads managed by JKR. Of these, 5,378 cases – nearly 91% – have been resolved. Meanwhile, 13,021 complaints, making up 68.97%, have been channelled to the relevant authorities for further action.
To this end, Konsesi Infrasel Sdn Bhd, which was appointed by the Selangor government, deserves credit for using the latest technology known as Jetpatcher to expedite road repairs in the state.
Zamreen also suggested that the housing and local government ministry should review administrative boundaries to more effectively align local authorities’ capacity in managing public facilities with the size of the areas under their jurisdiction.
He cited Shah Alam as an example, noting its large population and extensive areas.
He also highlighted the importance of local authorities having transportation experts, which is currently limited to larger ones like Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Petaling Jaya City Council, and Shah Alam City Council.
“In smaller or rural areas, their approach tends to be more trial and error – attempts are made, but there’s no certainty of success,” he said.