MALAYSIA’S penchant for big projects and public infrastructure ends up being a wasteful endeavour as the maintenance culture is lacking, community leaders said.

This is happening because project proponents fail to consult local communities on whether some infrastructure are needed, besides an absence of political will.

Authorities have also failed to appreciate the value of historical buildings while wanting to build the “largest, tallest and shiniest buildings”, leaving heritage structures to rot, the local leaders added.

Examples of mismatched projects and local needs is the Little India area in Brickfields, close to the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

Brickfields Rukun Tetangga chairman S.K.K. Naidu said that instead of making the necessary repairs, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) seems adamant on building things that are not necessary.

“There are five bridges in Brickfields, but what the blind community needs is a traffic light with beepers. They don’t want to climb up and down.

“But the authorities don’t listen. The bridges end up being used by drug addicts and homeless people,” Naidu said.

The Tun Sambanthan Complex is another example of a needless development as it is barely used, he added.

Naidu said DBKL also seems unable to swiftly respond to residents’ complaints but this is where it could engage local associations to help look after the neighbourhood.

“We understand that DBKL has a lot of projects. They don’t just oversee Brickfields.

“Nearby associations and civil societies can help to keep an eye if they sign a memorandum of understanding.

“In Brickfields, about five years ago, we signed a MOU under the Local Agenda 21. In case there is a pothole, drain cover missing, we have a group. There is an understanding that we work together.”

Despite the agreement, Naidu said items still go missing and don’t work in the area. These issues have been brought to DBKL’s attention as well as the Kuala Lumpur mayor’s, but nothing has been done.

“A lot was spent to install solar panels at two bus stops near the YMCA and Little India, but when it rains, they leak.

“The Little India fountain is also not properly maintained. We are thankful that they build things, but they don’t have any resources to maintain things.

“When we ask them why they cannot maintain it, they say they have a lot of departments and one department doesn’t know what the other is doing.”

No enforcement

Bukit Bandaraya Residents’ Association president M. Ali said the problem surrounding a lack of maintenance stems from zero political will and enforcement.

“We want to build the tallest, roundest and squarest buildings but when it comes to maintenance, it is down the drain,” he said.

“We talk about being a world class city, but in any city, we need to look at public toilets.

“If you can maintain toilets and drains, then you can claim to be whatever city you want to be and be proud. Otherwise, you are zero.

“We will do anything for a slogan and have a big launch but it ends there. There is no political will or enforcement (to maintain things).”

Ali said the lack of maintenance and haphazard city planning are also costing the public.

“Just look at Jalan Maarof in Bangsar. It is poor planning. Bangsar is an established housing estate and you bring in criss-cross traffic, but can the roads take it? Have you made it flood-free? All it needs is 20 minutes of rain and it floods.”

This problem has been raised to past and present mayors, but whatever maintenance done has been purely cosmetic, he said.

“We need balanced and sustainable development. People have invested in their homes, they want to have a quiet life, but if you mess up the place, it is no longer quality living.”

The public, too, need to have more civic-mindedness and remember not to trash public facilities when using them, he said.

However, this also comes down to education, Ali said.

“When we go to Singapore, we don’t even jaywalk. Why?

“But in your own country we turn into devils. It reflects on us badly on an international level,” he said.

Preserve historical buildings

Universiti Malaya economist Prof Rajah Rasiah, meanwhile, urged the government to review the conditions of existing buildings before deciding to build new ones.

“Many places in developed countries, including century-old buildings, are maintained for historical and cultural reasons, a number of which help promote tourism,” Rajah said.

“Historic universities such as Oxford and Cambridge still preserve their old buildings as when they were founded in the 13th century.

“The old buildings in the oldest universities in Malaysia tend to be poorly maintained.

“The same applies to traditional and historical sites all over Malaysia, including in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, where there are rich cultures and practices, where landforms are being lost in the name of modernisation.”

While there is a need to build certain infrastructures in line with the growing population, Rajah said there must be better policy making and a strong focus on maintenance.

“One way to instil that culture is to allow greater inclusivity in policy making and planning.

“Don’t just involve civil society groups. Rope in the masses as well, including those specialising in creative arts, history and anthropology.”

Malaysia is home to several skyscrapers, with the Merdeka 118 tower coming as the second-tallest building in the world, only behind the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

The Petronas Twin Towers and the newly built Exchange 106 are also among the tallest buildings in the world.

However, social media has been rife with complaints from public transport users of out-of-order escalators at LRT stations that have not been repaired for months. The Transport Ministry’s response was to cite delays in the delivery of manufacturers’ spare parts due to Covid-19 lockdowns in China.

Repairs are to be completed and the escalators functional in September. – August 1, 2022.