Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak), Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, has expressed concern over poor street lighting along a stretch of road near Bandar Sierra after several vehicles were reportedly damaged by an object believed to have fallen from a heavy vehicle.
The issue came to public attention after a TikTok user uploaded a video on Wednesday night showing her car rim damaged after hitting the object. She also claimed that four other vehicles suffered similar tyre damage at the same location.
In the video, the user showed debris believed to be from a lorry or truck on the road, saying the area was too dark for motorists to notice the obstruction in time.
Responding to the matter in a video shared on Thursday, Mustapha, who is also Sepanggar MP, contacted Public Works Department (JKR) officials and urged immediate action to improve lighting in the area.
During discussions, a JKR officer said permanent street lights had already been installed but were still awaiting approval for electricity supply connection.
The officer added that efforts would be made to source temporary electricity to activate the lights while waiting for full approval, and that any damaged lighting units would be repaired.
Mustapha urged the relevant agencies to expedite the process to prevent further accidents, especially along poorly lit stretches of road.
He also said he was willing to engage Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) management if necessary to speed up the approval process.
The minister added that he planned to conduct a site visit the following day and hoped the street lights would be operational by then.
In a separate post, Mustapha expressed frustration over delays in activating the street lights, saying repeated requests had been made for the issue to be resolved.
“What if it involved our own family members? This is a responsibility given to them. Why wait until an accident happens before turning on the lights?” he said.
