Sg Bakap voters want development

Sungai Bakap, a town in the Seberang Perai Selatan district, is one of three state constituencies under the Nibong Tebal Parliament in Penang. It is located at the border between Parit Buntar, Perak and Bandar Baharu, Kedah, earning the area the nickname 'Utara Triangle'. - Photo by Bernama

The majority voters in the Sungai Bakap state legislative assembly want to experience development and an improved standard of living in the area.

For them, apart from the water and flood issues, other problems such as fly infestations and traffic congestion also needed to be addressed.

Moreover, improvements in infrastructure facilities and new developments, such as hospitals and other necessary facilities were urgently needed to provide comfort for residents in the Seberang Perai Selatan area.

For example, the 133-year-old Sungai Bakap Hospital is now dilapidated and could no longer accommodate the large number of patients.

The hospital, which is the birthplace of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was not only cramped and crowded but also did not offer specialist treatment, forcing residents to seek medical services at other hospitals.

Another issue that needed attention from the new representative was the influx of foreign nationals increasingly residing in the Sungai Bakap area, causing discomfort among the public and needing immediate action.

It is understood that these foreign nationals worked in small enterprises and nearby food factories.

For Mutiara Jaya resident Muhammad Khairi Isahak, 32, he hoped that the issue of the influx of foreign nationals can be addressed as their presence caused concern among local residents, including security threats.

"Their numbers are increasing day by day, we do not want foreign nationals to be allowed to stay here freely as their presence will only add to the social problems in Sungai Bakap," he said.

According to housewife Bidayah Abdul Karim, 41, who lives on Jalan Permatang Ara, she wanted the water supply issue to be addressed immediately as residents in Mukim 5 were very stressed by the daily disruptions.

"The problem affects our quality of life, sometimes it's difficult even to clean ourselves," she said.

Rosaidi Hashim, 42, a private sector worker said the traffic congestion in Sungai Bakap town and its main roads needed urgent attention from authorities, as it disrupted residents' travel and daily activities, especially during peak hours.

"Traffic congestion is not a new issue in Sungai Bakap, and it needs to be addressed properly, whether by road widening or changing the traffic flow system to a more efficient one," he said.