GEORGE TOWN: A government backbencher who was clearly irked due to his request for public toilet facilities at the Komtar bus station were being continuously rejected, says he was not asking for a world-class toilet.
"I am not asking for a 'BMW' level toilet but a decent one for the Rapid bus commuters at Komtar, a request which has been continuously rejected until today," said Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng.
"The Komtar bus station is an important hub for bus commuters in Penang where the service begins at 6am and ends at 11.45pm every day," said Teh when debating on the 2024 Supply Bill in the state assembly on Monday (Nov 27).
"As such, where do commuters go to ease themselves during late hours when Komtar is closed?
"Remember, Penang is the most developed state in the country and the Komtar bus station is an important transport hub without a public toilet.
"As such, how do we tell the people we are a city with international status?" he said.
Teh said he hoped the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) could look into this issue again and build a public toilet at the Komtar Bus Station.
He however thanked the state for the upgrades at the bus station through the council which allocated RM37,800 for repainting works and replacing existing lights with LEDs.
"It was a good move on the council’s part to change the concrete benches to stainless steel and set aside RM50,000 to upgrade the existing 'interlocking' floors.