Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh has stressed that cleanliness and public safety in Putrajaya must remain a top priority, warning that there should be no excuses for poor maintenance in the nation’s administrative capital.
Speaking to reporters outside the Sentul Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), Yeoh said local authorities must continuously monitor public facilities and ensure maintenance standards are upheld as Putrajaya continues to attract large numbers of visitors.
“We have to prioritise cleanliness and safety. There should be no excuses,” she said.
Yeoh also urged officials to spend more time on the ground to identify issues before they become major problems.
“I ask everyone to go out to the field more often and monitor the situation closely,” she added.
Her remarks came in response to a recent report highlighting deteriorating conditions at Putrajaya Square.
A site inspection reportedly found damaged infrastructure, including cracked floor tiles, crumbling staircases and broken safety railings that could pose risks to members of the public.
Several lifts and escalators were also reported to have been out of service for months, causing inconvenience to visitors and commuters.
Following the report, Putrajaya Corporation pledged to accelerate restoration and repair works at affected locations.
Its president, Mohd Sakeri Abdul Kadir, said repair efforts were being carried out in stages due to the high costs involved in comprehensive maintenance works.
Yeoh acknowledged that some repairs had already been completed but stressed that maintenance should be an ongoing responsibility rather than a reaction to public criticism or viral social media posts.
“Some repairs have already been carried out. However, housekeeping and maintenance must be consistent and not only happen because a video has gone viral,” she said.
The minister also advised the public to be cautious when consuming and sharing viral content online, noting that social media posts often present only part of a broader issue.
According to Yeoh, it is important for the public to consider multiple perspectives before drawing conclusions.
“For every issue, there are different sides that need to be heard because viral clips often show only a portion of the full story,” she said.
She added that social media users should exercise good judgement and evaluate information carefully before reacting to issues circulating online.
Yeoh reiterated that maintaining public infrastructure, cleanliness and safety remains essential to preserving Putrajaya’s image as Malaysia’s federal administrative centre and a destination for both locals and tourists.
