MORE than 30 streetlights in parts of Sungai Manila are not working, posing a danger to road users and requiring immediate action, says Datuk Hazem Mubarak Musa.
The Sungai Manila assemblyman said neglected and undersized drains in several areas were also increasing the risk of flooding.
He said the problems may appear minor compared with Sabah’s wider water and road woes, but they were among the most common complaints raised by residents during his visits.
“Streetlights that are not functioning can cause accidents, while drains that are not maintained or enlarged can lead to floods,” he said during the debate on the Supplementary Supply Bill 2026 at the Sabah Legislative Assembly sitting here on Tuesday (July 21).
Hazem (GRS-Sungai Manila) said more than 10 faulty streetlights had been identified along Old Labuk Road, Batu 9, Taman Fortune, Taman Tai Fai Yin, the Kampung Padas junction and Kampung Jawa 1.
He said another 20 streetlight poles were not functioning at the Batu 10 junction leading towards Jalan Sungai Batang Lama, while seven were faulty along Jalan Pampang.
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Some villages, particularly Kampung Jawa 1, also lacked sufficient streetlights, he added.
Hazem said drainage problems were reported along the main road from Batu 8 to Batu 9, Jalan Kampung Sentosa, Batu 10 and Kampung Sibugal Besar.
He said drains near SK Sibugal Besar also needed to be enlarged.
“I hope the relevant ministry will conduct regular monitoring and instruct the concessionaire to act immediately instead of waiting for public complaints,” he said.
Hazem said the issues should not be allowed to drag on as continued inaction could affect the people’s trust and confidence in the government.
He also called for the revival of barter trading activities in Sandakan, saying the proposal should be acted on without further delay.
On agriculture, he urged the state government to expand marketing opportunities for small farmers beyond local tamu markets and introduce measures to improve fishermen’s livelihoods.
Hazem supported the RM1.612bil supplementary allocation but cautioned that the funds must be implemented efficiently and quickly.
“We do not want allocations that have been approved with great difficulty in this august House to become stuck in a burdensome chain of bureaucracy,” he said.
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