Fields in bad shape after DPM’s visit

It was a campaign visit and will cost the public plenty of money, says PAS man.

SEREMBAN: Taxpayers will have to fork out thousands of ringgit to repair public facilities here that were damaged two months ago in celebrations honouring the visit of Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, according to Paroi state assemblyman Mohd Taufek Abdul Ghani.

The two main functions that Muhyiddin attended during his Oct 15 visit were both political in nature, with Barisan Nasional flags “flying everywhere”, said Taufek, who is PAS’s commissioner for Negeri Sembilan.

The first function was at the Senawang secondary school and the second, a grand dinner complete with a fireworks display, was at the Seroja Flats in Taman Tasik Jaya. Both functions were held on football fields that are now in deplorable states, according to Taufek.

“I was informed by the president of the Seroja Flat Residents Association that they are now calling for tenders to repair their field,” he told FMT.

“I’m sure the cost of upgrading the field, including planting new grass, is easily in the thousands of ringgit.

“Does this expenditure justify the visit of Muhyiddin here just for a few hours?”

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan also attended the two functions. Muhyiddin delivered speeches attacking the opposition parties and praising Umno and Barisan Nasional.

A FMT reporter accompanied Paroi PKR coordinator Zubeer Abu Bakar to the school in Senawang, where he pointed out the damage done to the football field.

“Not only has the surface of the field deteriorated badly, but you can see how the fences and drainage system have also been affected,” he said.

“They tore up the fences in order to facilitate the transport of chairs and tables for the event.”

Zubeer said he feared for the security of students. “Anybody can now just walk into the school easily.”

He also pointed to drains clogged by what he said were debris that resulted from preparations for Muhyiddin’s visit. “These are breeding spots for mosquitoes now,” he said.