PUTRAJAYA – Road users in Putrajaya have been found trying to evade roadblocks by damaging road barricades and blinkers, opening alternative routes and driving against the flow of traffic following the closure of 10 roads along the Selangor border on June 1.
“We found alternative routes made by residents living along the border of Selangor. Along Jalan 7G heading into Putrajaya Sentral, we found many vehicles being driven against the flow of the traffic towards Puchong because the exit road is closed,” said Putrajaya district police chief Mohd Fadzil Ali.
“There are roadblocks mounted on several roads but the public is still looking for space to ease travel and bypass the roadblocks. The roadblocks are mounted not to inconvenience the public, but to reduce the risk of virus transmission and protect the area from infection,” he said.
He said this to Bernama after conducting checks at several areas that are still used as public entry and exit routes for Putrajaya, linked to areas bordering Selangor, including Dengkil, Puchong, Bangi and Kajang, here today.
Apart from that, a check at Taman Cabaran in Presint 5 found a rat trail near the Presint 20 cemetery as well as vandalised road barricades and blinkers due to public dissatisfaction over road closures. The police chief said such action can be investigated under Section 269/270 of the Penal Code as the acts may result in the transmission of life-threatening disease.
Fadzil said the Putrajaya district police headquarters had issued a total of 16 compounds since June 1, with seven issued on Friday alone for interstate and inter-district travel without a valid permit. Six traffic summonses were also issued for driving against traffic flow yesterday.
He also said the congestion at the four roadblocks mounted are unavoidable, and they enable thorough inspection to ensure public movement is more controlled via official permission letters and for emergency matters.
The four static roadblocks in Putrajaya comprise one at Lebuh Sentosa heading out to Maju Expressway, Persiaran Selatan heading out to Dengkil (Presint 5), Gate 2A Persiaran Utara heading out to Serdang Hospital (Presint 12), and Gate 3 Persiaran Utara heading to Puchong (Presint 9).
Fadzil also expressed regret over the actions of government department and agency staffers who use the lanes designated for frontliners at roadblocks to avoid inspection and speed up travel.
He said that police do not prevent the public from entering Putrajaya, but they are required to carry valid interstate permits. He also advised civil servants who are not frontliners to plan their journeys appropriately and follow the rules. – Bernama, June 6, 2021
