MCA: Use new Madani park funds to fix existing ones
KUANTAN: The government should consider redirecting funds earmarked for the construction of 1,000 Madani recreational parks towards repairing, upgrading and maintaining existing parks that are in poor condition.
The Malaysian government plans to construct 1,000 Madani recreational parks by 2035, each costing between RM400,000 and RM500,000. KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA Urban Affairs Bureau chairman, Tan Gim Tuan, suggests redirecting funds from new park construction to repair, upgrade, and maintain existing parks in poor condition. While promoting a healthy lifestyle among Malaysians is commendable, addressing problems with current parks is equally important.
The government aims to build at least 1,000 Madani parks, with 216 fully developed and another 100 planned for completion this year. Instead of allocating additional funds for new parks, Tan proposes using the budget to fix underwhelming existing facilities. A study by the Playground Safety Association of Malaysia found that 75.6% of 40 surveyed public playgrounds were in poor condition, with rusted equipment posing safety risks to children.
The Madani parks programme risks repeating this cycle unless maintenance is prioritized alongside expansion. Many more parks nationwide are likely to be poorly maintained and unsafe, affecting both children and adults using them for exercise and fitness. Abandoned parks with broken facilities and unhygienic surroundings further exacerbate the issue.
Tan emphasizes that expanding the number of parks won't solve the problem unless basic safety, security, and maintenance concerns at existing facilities are resolved.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
