KUALA LUMPUR: More than RM25mil has been allocated to maintain streetlights and traffic lights along federal roads nationwide as of January this year, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said that RM10.64mil was allocated across 76 units in the peninsula.
Meanwhile, RM14.49mil was allocated for Sabah, Sarawak, and the Federal Territories of Labuan across 37 units.
"All the works are carried out by the Public Works Department (JKR) through a tender process," he said in a written reply on Wednesday (Feb 26).
According to the minister, the Works Ministry received an allocation of RM100mil to carry out streetlight and traffic light maintenance works across federal roads nationwide.
Separately, Alexander said a total of RM78mil has been approved to implement the road safety infrastructure maintenance programme.
Among the four scopes approved under the programme are conducting periodic visits to accident hotspots, building pedestrian walkways, installing streetlights at accident-prone locations, and installing traffic lights at accident-prone junctions.
The minister said RM21mil has also been allocated to install streetlights at 212 accident-prone locations along federal roads nationwide.
Some RM15mil has been approved to upgrade existing traffic lights to a smart traffic light system.
"The work order was issued to JKR on Jan 13, with all planned works scheduled to be completed this year," he added.
He noted that the criteria for any application of streetlights in accident-prone roads due to dimly lit surroundings must be based on a light analysis warrant.
"The application must be submitted to the JKR headquarters through the department’s state offices," he said.
The minister was responding to a question by Khairil Nizam Khirudin (PN-Jerantut) who asked about the status of streetlights and smart traffic light installations along federal roads and how applications can be made for dark and accident-prone locations.
