THE Penang government must take immediate steps to improve safety along Jalan Berapit before nearby industrial developments bring heavier traffic to the area, says Heng Lee Lee (PH-Berapit).
Heng said the road recorded 104 accidents, including seven fatalities, over 21 months from January 2025 to September this year.
She said 55 accidents, including three deaths, were recorded in 2025, while another 49 accidents, including four deaths, occurred in the first nine months of 2026.
“What is more worrying is that Northern TechValley has yet to be fully operational, but accidents are already happening frequently along Jalan Berapit,” she said during the debate on the 2027 Penang Budget at the state assembly.
She said Jalan Berapit was only about 1km long, with the accident blackspot covering approximately 556m.
Heng said the road was expected to face heavier traffic when the 176-acre Northern TechValley @ BKE, which is expected to be fully completed by 2029, begins operations.
The development is expected to create 5,000 jobs, while the proposed 1,578-acre Central Seberang Perai New Development Corridor could bring even more workers to the area.
She welcomed the short-term measures taken by the state government and the Public Works Department (JKR), including additional 30kph speed limit signs and yellow road markings.
However, she stressed that a comprehensive road safety study and long-term upgrading plans were needed.
“Industrial development has its own timeline. The safety of the people must also have a timeline,” she said, urging the state government to provide a clear action plan.
On another matter, Heng urged the state government to consider providing annual funding for the Digital Library Bukit Mertajam to cover its operating and maintenance costs of about RM300,000.
She said the Jit Sin Alumni Association had spent RM6.1mil on renovation works, repairs and equipment for the facility, which was now operational.
The library had also received approval for an MCMC grant of up to RM1.6mil, subject to the stipulated conditions.
Heng said continued state support was important to ensure the library’s long-term sustainability and benefits to the community.
She also called for clearer key performance indicators for Penang’s Age-Friendly City initiative in 2027, focusing on the actual experiences of senior citizens.
She said although implementation of the initiative had reached 85% by the end of 2025, a 2023 survey found that only 38.7% of 1,501 respondents considered Penang an age-friendly city.
Heng said a follow-up survey was needed to determine whether public perception had improved and whether senior citizens could access existing government services more easily.
She also proposed that state government-linked companies hold regular briefings for assemblymen to explain their roles, achievements and available services to help them better assist the public.
Story by Edmund Lee