A STATE assemblyman has raised several pressing issues affecting his constituency at the Penang Legislative Assembly sitting today, with a focus on traffic congestion, poor internet connectivity, and a spike in dengue cases.
While debating the motion of thanks to the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang Tuan Yang Terutama Tun Ramli Ngah Talib’s address, Kumaresan Arumugam (PH–Batu Uban) began by highlighting the chronic traffic congestion plaguing his constituency, particularly along Jalan Bukit Gambir heading towards Jalan Tun Dr Aziz Ibrahim.
He described the daily gridlock as a ‘nightmare’ for residents, students, and workers, especially during peak hours.
“I urge the relevant authorities to seriously consider a traffic dispersal plan,” Kumaresan said, proposing a comprehensive review of traffic light timings, the deployment of traffic personnel, or the adoption of smart traffic light systems to ease congestion.
He also raised concerns over poor internet connectivity in the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) area, calling for urgent action.
“As a research university, USM should serve as a key driver for Penang’s digital economy and artificial intelligence (AI) development. This is not a minor inconvenience. It affects productivity, teaching, and even the state’s image,” he said.
Kumaresan called on the Penang government to work closely with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and telecommunications providers to improve internet coverage and speed, particularly in high-impact zones such as institutions of higher learning.
Turning to public health, Kumaresan sounded the alarm over the rising number of dengue cases in Batu Uban, attributing the spike in part to the high population density in the area.
“As of last week, 69 cases had been reported — making Batu Uban the area with the highest number of cases in the northeast district,” he said.
While acknowledging the efforts of the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and the Penang Health Department in combating the outbreak, he stressed the need for more proactive measures beyond fogging.
“I propose strengthening community awareness programmes to better address the root causes of dengue,” he added.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar