KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob has slammed ongoing safety issues along the Pan Borneo Highway in Sipitang after a motorcyclist was injured after falling into a hole on a dark, unmarked stretch.
The Sindumin assemblyman, a state government backbencher, said the incident at Jalan Naluyan was not the first and may not be the last if no action is taken.
The road, part of the still-unfinished Pan Borneo Highway, lacks basic safety features such as lighting, clear signage, and proper barricades.
Yusof said the area had seen multiple accidents, and complaints had been raised repeatedly to the contractor and supervising agencies.
“Safety should come first. If there’s a hazard like a hole or construction taking place, there must be clear warnings and proper control measures. Instead, we’re seeing dark roads, no signage, and carelessly placed water barricades,” he said when contacted today.
Yusof, who visited the scene, said he was shocked to find the water barricade meant to block the danger had been left aside, exposing the gap on the road..
“I had to move the barricade myself. I’m part of the government, but when I see this kind of carelessness, I can’t just stay silent,” he said.
The May 31 crash that sparked the safety concerns involved a senior citizen who had just taken part in a karaoke competition that night and was heading home with his motorcycle.
He fell into the hole and was found covered in mud, injured, and still clutching the trophy and certificate he had won, a heartbreaking image that went viral and fuelled public outrage.
Social media users have since flooded the comments sections of community pages, criticising both the government and contractors for ignoring repeated complaints over the stretch. Many described the incident as yet another example of how basic safety continues to be overlooked.
Yusof added that while he was not pointing fingers at any particular party, someone must take responsibility, whether it is the contractor, supervisor, or consultant, to ensure on-site safety is upheld at all times.
The contractor claimed the barricade had been removed by unknown individuals, but Yusof said that excuse was not acceptable, adding that the site should have been secured again immediately.
He also took issue with attempts to blame the motorcyclist.
“It was dark. Even if there were signage, how could anyone see them without lighting? If the hole had been properly fenced up, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Earlier today, Deputy Chief Minister III and Sabah Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said the accident occurred along Package 1 of the Pan Borneo Highway. He said repair works and signage had already been put up, but claimed the motorcyclist failed to notice them, attributing the incident to the motorcyclist’s negligence.
In response, Yusof said that while the exact circumstances of the crash may be unclear, the lack of proper lighting and physical barriers played a role.
“We don’t know exactly what happened that night, but if there had been proper safety measures, the accident could have been prevented,” he said.
The Pan Borneo Highway project in Sabah, under construction for nearly a decade, continues to face criticism over its pace and its failure to meet basic safety standards, especially in rural areas.
