SUNGAI BULOH, May 16 — The installation of low-voltage feeder pillars to power streetlights along a 4km stretch of Jalan Kepong-Kuala Selangor will start in June, with a completion timeline of 16 weeks.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said RM500,000 has been allocated for the feeder pillars, which will be installed in well-lit, public areas to prevent acts of vandalism such as cable theft.
“I have been informed there have been four incidents of vandalism and theft in the past two years, with the latest being in last year.
“We will install and reinforce additional locked metal boxes because, despite the fences, it was easy for the vandals to cut through and gain access,” he said during a media briefing after inspecting the site yesterday.
Nanta said police will increase surveillance in the area, in addition to considering the installation of CCTVs if deemed necessary.
He hoped the community would play its part by reporting suspicious activities to the authorities to safeguard public property for the benefit and well-being of everyone.
The Works Ministry disclosed in a statement that the issue of malfunctioning streetlights along Jalan Kepong-Kuala Selangor has been ongoing since August 2023 due to cable and feeder pillar component theft, prompting a police report by the Petaling Public Works Department.
The statement said an allocation of RM500,000 was approved in February, involving RM150,000 to clear overgrowth and a proposal for new feeder pillar installation with anti-vandalism features such as barrel locks, locked cages, and lights.
In addition, RM300,000 was earmarked to repair underground cables and faulty existing streetlight components from Km31 to Km48, while RM50,000 was allocated to repair traffic lights near the Sungai Buloh KTM station.
“The Works Ministry has spent RM100,000 for feeder pillar and cable maintenance work at this location in 2023. The Public Works Department completed it on May 8, 2023. Unfortunately, irresponsible parties committed acts of vandalism three months after the maintenance work,” the statement read.
— Bernama
