Khairy says he only intended to raise awareness of road dangers

 

Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said his only intention in making a social media post about his fall after his bicycle hit a pothole was to make others aware of the road's condition.

“My intention for uploading the incident on Twitter was to warn other road users, but it seems to have caught the attention of JKR (Public Works Department),” he said in a statement over the mishap which occurred in Banting, Selangor.

Khairy's posting was followed by an apology from the Kuala Langat JKR and quick repair work carried out. However, the episode was greeted with anger and mockery by netizens, many of whom scorned JKR’s supposed inaction even when other potholes have caused fatal accidents and serious injuries.

One Twitter user with the handle @theahmadridhuan urged JKR to apologise to other victims of poor road conditions as well.

“Because it was KJ, you apologised profusely.

“If that is the case, we need more ministers, MPs and assemblypersons to become victims of bad roads so action will be taken swiftly to repair them,” he said.

Ketari assemblyperson Young Syefura Othman even apparently offered to tumble over damaged roads in a bid to expedite repairs.

Meanwhile, JKR in a statement said it took note of the feelings of netizens on social media about the handling of complaints about road repairs and potholes.

KENYATAAN MEDIA JABATAN KERJA RAYA (JKR), 28 DISEMBER 2020 pic.twitter.com/vtBgal4cJr

— JKR Malaysia (@JKRMalaysia) December 28, 2020

"The JKR always tries to prioritise complaints about road repairs from users and act upon them so as to ensure safety and smooth operations," it said.

As such, JKR said there were no less than 11 different avenues for the public to lodge their complaints. They include:

i) The website JKR Care (aduan.jkr.gov.my)

ii) Telephone

iii) Sispaa (kkr.spab.gov.my)

iv) Emailing aduan.jkr@1govuc.gov.my

v) Emailing komunikasi.jkr@1govuc.gov.my

vi) The media

vii) Verbally at a JKR office

viii) Public Complaints Bureau (pcb.spabgov.my)

ix) Letter

x) Mygcc

xi) Respons Rakyat app

Yesterday in an Instagram story Khairy also posted that he was discharged from the hospital following the mishap.

"They kept me overnight because of the loss of consciousness and concussion.

"CT confirms there still is a brain, though," he joked.

"Bruises coming down but I still have no memory of the crash," wrote the Rembau MP. - Mkini