KLANG – Kg Teluk Gong residents are demanding safer roads by limiting heavy vehicles in its area and improving the road infrastructure in the wake of a tragedy this week.
Claiming that 20 motorcycle users have perished in the village in the past five years due to crashes involving commercial vehicles, Teluk Gong Community Management Council chairman Rosli Ismail said the road infrastructure in the locality remains in poor state despite heavy vehicles constantly plying its roads.
He also claimed that some 100 vehicles pass through the village’s artery road in one minute during peak hours.
“In addition, the residents also demanded that the local council and relevant agencies build speed humps at the high-risk spots.
“We also want speed limit warning signs on the main roads here to be displayed as well as height limit to bar heavy vehicles passing near the school zone in Teluk Gong.”
Rosli said such immediate measures are necessary to safeguard the school-going children and parents during peak hours in the morning, afternoon and evening.
Nearly 100 residents held a peaceful demonstration yesterday by parading a replica of a hearse in front of a factory here, urging the authorities to solve the high traffic volume of heavy vehicles and poor road conditions of Jalan Teluk Gong.
On Wednesday, a Standard 3 pupil Nurul Jannatun Assyifa Muhammad Jamathir was killed after being run over by a trailer laden with raw materials for making pipes, while her younger brother, 7-year-old Alif Zahfran and their 54-year-old babysitter sustained minor injuries.
Kahar Jaafar, a 58-year-old native of Kg Teluk Gong who grew up in the area, did not blame anyone, including commercial vehicle drivers who often use the route.
“But, we should not ignore the ever-present road safety risk factors and traffic mayhem, which already cost 20 lives in our kampung. This must be stopped.
“All parties should be more careful while using our roads.” – The Vibes, March 25, 2023
