Irda fails to complete Sungai Segget project on time

JOHOR BARU: Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed (pix) slams Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) for failing to complete the Sungai Segget rejuvenation and upgrading works on time.
“I am disappointed because the project has been postponed again and again, and Jalan Wong Ah Fook is still very jam and prone to flash floods," he said this during officiating the fishing carnival at Sungai Skudai, Taman Tampoi Utama here today.
He said the project was scheduled for completion in January 2017 but it has been postponed again.
The project aims to fully open up about 1km of Sungai Segget but only 50m of the river has been opened now.
"The project costs about RM270 million, but still failed to meet its original targets - that is to make Sungai Segget along the Jalan Wong Ah Fook a tourist attraction - like Seoul River at Seoul, Korea," he said.
Nur Jazlan also hit out at Irda for using non-local contractors and consultants for this project.
"The locals have a deep understanding on Sungai Segget," he added.
He also criticised Irda for not setting up a private security firm to look after the security issues in the Iskandar region.
"Currently, about 1,000 police personnel are monitoring the security issues in the Johor Baru city area where a million residents reside here. We can’t afford to increase manpower due to budget cuts this year," he said, adding that Irda should have its own security forces as it was an initiative under the Iskandar Regional programme.