GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has instructed the engineering consultant of the recently-opened Bukit Kukus paired road (Tun Sardon Link) to find a solution to the water retention issue there on Saturday.
Expressing disappointment over the incident, the MBPP said it should not have had happened at all.
While initial investigations pointed to rubbish and dried leaves which had blocked the water flow into the drainage system as the cause of the incident, MBPP has ordered the engineering consultant of the project to resolve the issue.
"We have asked the engineering consultant of the project to submit a detailed explanation on the incident.
"At the same time, we have invited experts from The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) (Penang branch) to work together with the MBPP and the engineering consultant to identify the main cause of the incident as well as to provide advice in terms of the technical aspects," it said today.
Earlier today, MBPP Mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang, MBPP secretary A. Rajendran, IEM (Penang branch) chairman Bernard Lim and other representatives as well as the contractor visited the site before a discussion was held to come up with a long-term solution.
Besides that, MBPP said it would also conduct periodic patrols and monitoring through the closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the MBPP's Intelligent Centre.
Meanwhile, MBPP also warned that stern action would be taken against motorists who stop their vehicles by the side of the road as well as those who throw rubbish out of their vehicles on the paired road.
"We hope the people will work together in ensuring the cleanliness and safety of the area," it added.
Yesterday, the New Straits Times reported that rubbish and dried leaves had been identified as the cause of water retention on the tail-end of the recently-opened Bukit Kukus paired road, touted as the country's highest elevated highway, on Saturday.
A 10-second video footage of the water retention after heavy rain, which affected traffic flow, had gone viral soon after.
Late last month, the NST reported that MBPP had expressed disappointment over the attitude of some motorists, who without shame, simply throw their garbage out of their cars along the newly-launched road.
It also expressed disappointment over the selfish attitude of some motorists, who stopped their vehicles along the road for selfies, without considering the safety of others and later left their garbage behind.
This came after photos of garbage, including plastic bags filled with drinks and food wrappers, made their rounds on social media, forcing MBPP workers to clean up the mess left behind by the litterbugs.