IF I were a Public Works Department (JKR) officer, I would feel guilty for any death or serious injury by accident due to potholes on roads.

A district JKR officer is in attendance during monthly municipality meetings and should be kept abreast of potholes and accidents that happen along roads under the jurisdiction of the district or municipality. Besides the guilt, any pothole-caused accidental death is a slap to my face.

In a report published by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, Rohayu Sarani and colleagues (2012) have projected that by 2020 there will be 10,716 road fatalities, and that road safety is a major concern.

The study of Yusria Darma and colleagues (2017), “An analysis of Malaysia road traffic death distribution by road environment”, states that 48.6% road traffic deaths are attributable to road defects, and potholes contribute to 11.2% of that. Motorcyclists contribute to about 50% of the total deaths.

It took the pothole-caused accident case involving Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, reported on December 28, for the JKR to issue a public apology to the minister.

This is sheer hypocrisy. What about the countless unreported deaths inflicted on motorcyclists due to potholes?

The impact on cars due to potholes is different from that on motorcycles. A car going over a pothole at a fairly high speed is likely to get its rim dented and a tyre bulge that leads to early tyre change.

On the other hand, a motorcyclist may be seriously maimed or pay with his life – a life that is likely to rank among the poor; he may be a father who is his family’s sole provider, or a son that makes a living for the mother.

That is why I would feel guilty if I were the JKR officer responsible.

I remember a case in 2009 when I was a Sepang Municipal Councillor. I was a member of both the infrastructure and finance sub-committees. For two consecutive months, members of the infrastructure sub-committee had discussed the urgent need for potholes to be patched, especially one at a road junction near Dengkil, because it was accident-prone.

Despite repeated requests for the JKR officer to take action, he did not. In the third month, we received a report that a motorcyclist died due to that pothole. During the meeting that JKR officer was at the receiving end of my very harsh words.

‘No room for mistakes’

Looking back four decades ago, when I was a platoon and acting company commander in the Royal Ranger Regiment, I was conscientious about putting the men under my command in harm’s way.

A failure on my part to make a thorough study of the terrain, or failure to anticipate the enemy’s likely ambush position could result in loss of limbs and lives. Foresight is an attribute any good commander cannot do without. 

The men, many among whom had young families and were sole breadwinners or bachelors looking for dashing lives ahead, depended on the officers to lead effectively.

The officers, as commanders, owe the men a responsibility to be on constant alert for any eventualities. Every tactical manoeuvre must be planned ahead with anticipation for counter action in the event of a chance encounter with the enemies.

There was no room for mistakes. Any act or conduct of negligence that resulted in death and loss of limb would be severely dealt with.

Veterans, especially those who have had command experience, look in dismay at civil servants and those in the government who have neglected their responsibilities.

Veterans are accustomed to perceive issues as matters of life and death. The ultimate is to accomplish the mission. How it is achieved concerns little.

Not having enough funds, lacking manpower, equipment breakdown, or any excuse for failure to get the job done is unacceptable.

The JKR officer owes it to the people to maintain road safety. Officers in the municipality and the councillors owe it to the people and the business community to ensure infrastructures and utilities are well maintained, in good running order, and safe. Taking action only after an accident, flood, chemical spill in a water catchment area, or after a building or bridge has collapsed, is too late.

Public officials exist not to “cari makan”, but to serve the public earnestly. They must have foresight. They must always anticipate eventualities. – December 31, 2020.

* Captain Dr Wong Ang Peng is a researcher with an interest in economics, politics, and health issues. He has a burning desire to do anything within his means to promote national harmony. Captain Wong is also a member of the National Patriots Association.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.