PETALING JAYA: The installing of light-emitting diode (LED) lamps currently is only specified for new roads or replacing lights at existing roads, subject to need.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadilah Yusof said this arose due to differing views among the related experts on the use of LED especially from the technical aspect including lighting.
“Some experts say the existing light (yellow light) is more suitable for roads while LED (white light) is suitable for housing estates because it is brighter.
“Using the current method (yellow light), the lighting is more open and wide, compared to LED lamps which is more focused to a particular area which forces us to use short posts to allow a wider area to be lighted,” he told reporters.
He said this after opening the 9th Malaysian Road Conference and PIARC International Seminar on Slopes, Road Foundation Drainage and Stormwater Management here, yesterday.
Commenting further, Fadillah said a pioneer project on using LED on the Middle Ring Road 2 found it unsuitable especially during rain.
In a related development, Fadillah announced that road lights could not be installed along highways in the country because it involved quite a hefty cost and feared it could affect the environment.
He said the installation of road lights was only focused at corners or dangerous areas and roads with high traffic volume.
“No highways in the countries worldwide have road lights along their entire stretches. In Malaysia, areas without lights would be installed with reflector lines to warn motorists.
“Installing road lights will incur the use of a lot of fuel and produce carbon dioxide which will pollute the environment,” he said. — Bernama