Penang will request additional MARRIS funds to upgrade ageing roads, drains and infrastructure in three areas of the Bagan Dalam constituency.
BUTTERWORTH: The Penang state government will seek additional allocations under the Malaysian Road Records Information System (MARRIS) to upgrade roads, drains and other public infrastructure in three areas within the Bagan Dalam state constituency.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the request followed feedback from Bagan Dalam assemblyman Kumaran Krishnan on residents’ complaints over ageing infrastructure, much of which was more than 20 years old.
“Penang receives about RM300 million annually under MARRIS for distribution to eligible agencies. However, the allocation is never sufficient as it has to be prioritised based on project needs and applications,” he told reporters after the Chief Minister’s ‘Jelajah’ programme in Bagan Dalam here today.
The proposed works involve road resurfacing, repairs to road shoulders, and repairs to drains and drainage systems in Taman Mewah, Taman Bagan, and Kampung Benggali.
Chow said the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) would immediately carry out safety-related works, such as repairing potholes, using its existing maintenance allocation, while larger-scale projects would require additional funding.
“This year, MBSP received RM99 million under MARRIS, compared with its request for RM150 million. The entire allocation has already been committed to existing projects, so we will have to seek additional funding for these works,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kumaran said discussions with the Village Community Management Council (MPKK) and councillors found that basic infrastructure in the three areas required urgent upgrading, as they comprised low-cost housing, commercial areas and two schools.
He said residents had raised concerns over uneven and potholed roads that had only been patched because of funding constraints, as well as inadequate drainage that had caused flooding during high tides, affecting homes and business premises.
MBSP has estimated the upgrading costs at RM1.965 million for Taman Mewah, RM1.415 million for Taman Bagan and RM2.63 million for Kampung Benggali.
MARRIS is a Federal Government allocation to assist state governments in road maintenance, with its scope now expanded to include the repair of drains and slopes.
