Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate for the Puteri Wangsa state seat, Dr Maszlee Malik, took to the roads in a Perodua Myvi on Monday to experience for himself the poor road conditions and heavy traffic that residents have long complained about.
The former education minister accepted a challenge from social media users to drive the popular “King of the Road” from Kampung Melayu Tebrau to Ulu Tiram, allowing him to experience the uneven roads and daily congestion faced by motorists.
Maszlee drove along the route from Kampung Melayu Tebrau through Pandan and Kangkar Tebrau before reaching Ulu Tiram and returning towards Johor Bahru city, using the journey to observe traffic flow and assess the condition of the roads.
“We started from Petron Kampung Melayu through Pandan and Kangkar Tebrau before heading to Ulu Tiram. I accepted the challenge from netizens who wanted me to drive a Myvi and experience the roads for myself,” he said during a visit to Bernama’s operations centre for the Johor state election.
He admitted that residents’ complaints were justified, describing the drive as “feeling like riding a boat in Tanjung Surat” because of the undulating road surface that caused the vehicle to bounce repeatedly.
Maszlee said the journey also exposed him to severe traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours, reinforcing his belief that the area’s infrastructure problems require urgent attention.
The former Simpang Renggam MP said the issues stem largely from rapid urban development that has not been matched by corresponding improvements to road capacity, particularly in areas such as Taman Daya, Taman Pelangi Indah and other parts of Tebrau.
He expressed confidence that the problems could be resolved through better urban planning and closer cooperation between the Public Works Department (JKR), town planners and other relevant agencies.
According to Maszlee, long-term planning and continuous engagement with local communities are essential to addressing the area’s infrastructure challenges.
“If given the mandate, I will first listen to the people before identifying priorities and working towards the best solutions for the issues they face,” he said.
The Puteri Wangsa seat will see a five-cornered contest in the Johor state election involving Maszlee, Rashifa Aljunied (MUDA), Teow Chia Ling (Barisan Nasional), Nicholas Paul Vincent (Parti Bersama Malaysia) and independent candidate Wang Wee Siong.
The constituency has 128,723 registered voters, comprising 128,525 ordinary voters and 198 police personnel and their spouses. Polling is scheduled for July 11, while early voting will take place on July 7.
