Call for Jalan Seelong to get four-lane expansion
THE recent road accident involving a factory bus ferrying foreign workers has highlighted a need for Jalan Seelong near Senai in Kulai, Johor to be upgraded.
Senai assemblyman Wong Bor Yang said the stretch of Jalan Seelong, which is a state road, was no longer safe for road users and could not take the high volume of vehicles using it.
'Over the last few years, Kulai has seen many developments.
'This include high numbers of domestic and foreign investments coming into the district.
'Kulai and in particular Senai will surely gain more from the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), but with more investments coming in, there must be an urgent need to upgrade roads such as Jalan Seelong,' he told StarMetro during a Johor Trucking Association's safety talk programme in Indahpura.
Wong added that he recently attended a Kulai district development action committee (JTPD) meeting that discussed current and future development projects.
'However, I was told by a Kulai Public Works Department (JKR) official at the meeting that upgrading Jalan Seelong is not a priority right now.
'This is quite a disappointment as I have also mentioned the upgrade of Jalan Seelong many times at the Johor state assembly,' he said.
Jalan Seelong is currently a two-lane road connecting Johor Baru and Kulai, which makes it a busy road.
Senai Airport City, which is an industrial and commercial hub, is located along Jalan Seelong.
There are also many housing areas and various other development projects nearby, he said.
Wong felt that with buses and lorries, the two-lane road was inadequate to accommodate heavy traffic.
'During peak hours, traffic jams also can last up to an hour.
'I have received public complaints from those who have missed their flights due to this,' he said.
Wong urged the state government to upgrade Jalan Seelong to a four-lane road to accommodate large traffic volume while making connectivity to nearby districts easier.
On July 10, 22 foreign workers were injured after their factory bus swerved into a ditch and turned turtle.
Kulai OCPD Asst Comm Tan Seng Lee had said the bus driver lost control of the vehicle when turning out of an intersection in the Jalan Perindustrian Senai 4 accident.
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