DBKK to monitor the Tun Fuad Park streetlights
Published on: Friday, March 24, 2023
By: Sidney Skinner
A sky master was deployed to help deal with this leaning streetlight pole on Jalan Kolam-Minintod.
City Hall (DBKK) will step up efforts to maintain the streetlights along a section of Jalan Kolam-Minintod, which runs behind Tun Fuad Stephens Park.The District Council, on the other hand, has instructed a Penampang proprietor to do likewise for the lights around the parking area inside his premises, off Jalan Taipakkung-Donggongon.
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This follows feedback about the potential traffic hazards posed by the streetlight poles in these respective areas.
A driver, living along the slope at back of the Park, observed that several of these amenities looked as if they could topple over at any time as they were bending over the Bukit Padang road.
SESB technicians take a closer look at the hole where the rust has eaten through this streetlight in Donggongon.
A shopper expressed similar concerns about a rusty pole within the compound of a supermarket in Donggongon.
The pair provided Hotline with the location of the affected streetlights. This information was forwarded to the relevant agencies.
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A spokesman for City Hall’s Engineering Department said its maintenance contractor went to Jalan Kolam-Minintod, shortly after becoming aware of this problem.
“He found that a few of the poles were no longer upright while others were inoperative,” he said.
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The former looked as if errant motorists might have run into them, according to him.
A skymaster was later deployed to assist in efforts to reposition the leaning lights, as well as repair those which were not coming on.
“Two separate sections of the overhead cable and a bulb had to be replaced.
“The maintenance-team also dealt with a ‘contactor’ and adjusted the timer inside the control panel for the lights.”
He said night-time and day-time surveillance was made of Jalan Kolam-Minintod afterwards to ensure that the public-lighting was stable.
“The contractor’s staff kept an eye on the slope for a week, before confirming that nothing was amiss.
“Given the many bends in the road and considering that it goes uphill, however, we have asked him to keep up these checks
“We want to preserve the safety of the hundreds of drivers who go this way at night to reach their homes and apartments.”
PALOMA of Penampang said the streetlight near the junction to her house was inching closer and closer to the road.
“It keeps getting moved more and more out place by the strong winds which sometimes blow when it rains heavily,” she said.
“I have noticed that some of the other lights along my route home are no longer upright.”
Drivers risked coming to harm or losing their life should any of these amenities fall over, according to Paloma.
EDDIE of Penampang feared that something similar could happen in the parking lots outside the Donggongon supermarket.
He said rust had eaten through the base of a streetlight pole near the building.
“If it collapses and damages any of the vehicles left in this area, or hurts a passer-by, will Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) or the District Council accept responsibility for this mishap?” he wondered.
The corroded light is located within the compound of this Penampang premises.
Eddie said there was also a strong possibility of someone getting electrocuted during a downpour.
“This part of the town has flooded several times over the past few months.
“The electricity, coursing through the live wire inside the pole, could leak into the rising water which would be detrimental to anyone who happens to be in the vicinity.”
Representatives from the Council and SESB separately went to the area and confirmed that the corroded structure was a streetlight.
A spokesman for the former said this amenity did not fall under the agency’s jurisdiction as it was located on private property.
“The owner of the supermarket was informed about the damage and asked to make the necessary repairs as soon as possible before anything unfortunate occurred,” he said.
“A letter to this affect was sent to him/ her on Monday.”
He said the proprietor would be given a grace-period in which to deal with the streetlight.
“Should he/ she fail to comply, then further action will be taken.”
When asked to elaborate on the nature of this action, the spokesman declined to comment.
“We may consider replacing the pole in the interests of public safety. Should we do this, then the owner will be billed for the cost of this work.”
A SESB spokesman said two of its technicians verified that the pole was not one the company’s installations.
“The Council was alerted to the irregularities involving the streetlight shortly thereafter,” he said.
“This is the most that we could as SESB is not responsible for maintaining this amenity.”
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