KUALA NERUS, July 14 — Public Works Department (JKR) personnel have been reminded not to succumb to negative perceptions or criticism, especially on social media, but instead to remain committed to upholding integrity and professionalism in delivering the best services to the people.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the ministry and JKR often face ongoing criticism.
He said such criticism tends to arise during incidents involving public infrastructure and the loss of lives, such as the recent fatal accident that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students along the East-West Highway (JRTB) in Gerik, Perak last month.
“We mourn as well, but we are often blamed even when the causes vary depending on the situation… like in the bus accident in Gerik last month, some claimed that the bus overturned and the guardrail pierced through the body of the bus, causing the fatalities.
“… but in reality, the bus was speeding and overturned, landing on the guardrail. This is the actual fact that the public may not know or has been twisted to make it seem as though the guardrail itself was highly dangerous. While there may indeed be some danger in the current design, alternative designs have not yet been implemented. So we will review other design options later,” he said.
He said this after officiating the 2025 Senior Officers Conference (SOC) for JKR Malaysia here today.
Also present were Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, JKR Director-General Datuk Roslan Ismail, and Terengganu JKR director Ir Dr Hasli Ibrahim.
Nanta added that despite swift response and mitigation measures taken by JKR, certain issues and complaints, especially involving roads, continue to be sensationalised or used as “ammunition” by netizens.
Therefore, he called on all JKR personnel to rise above the criticism and continue to prove their worth to the public by delivering services with full dedication and transparency in order to dispel all accusations.
Some 400 senior JKR officers from across the country, including top management, district engineers, and cadre officers, are attending the three-day SOC 2025 conference beginning today.
Themed ‘JKR Mampan: Memacu Kelestarian Madani’, the annual conference serves as a platform for critical thinking and unity among senior JKR officers aimed at improving service delivery in a sustainable and holistic manner. — Bernama
