A vandalised streetlight pole.
MIRI: Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), through its operating arm Sesco, is taking measures to keep the streetlights along the Lutong-Kuala Baram road safe and secure from hardware thieves and vandals by changing to overhead supply lines from the current underground cables which can be dug up easily by thieves.
This will make sure the road stays bright for the safety of road users.
SEB senior vice-president for distribution Lau Kim Swee said they had highlighted “the matter time and time again in order to appeal to the public to help stop theft and vandalism of our properties”.
“Rampant theft and vandalism are causing the streetlights along the stretch to malfunction, and the road is dark along affected sections making it unsafe for road users,” Lau disclosed.
Sarawak Energy was responding to a recent report by The Borneo Post on the vandalism of the whole stretch of street lighting along Batu Satu, Lutong to Kuala Baram.
According to Lau, the vandalism along that stretch of road seemed to occur on a monthly basis and several police reports had been lodged.
He said the most recent case was the stealing of live neutral earthings, which had caused unstable voltage and damage to the streetlights components.
As a result, he said Sesco’s technical team had to replace the stolen parts for 30 streetlight posts and repair works were expected to be completed within two weeks.
In past cases, he disclosed, thieves made away with streetlight underground cables, control boxes including lighting components and mains wiring.
Lau said the constant repair and replacement of stolen and damaged parts has cost the utility company RM95,000 since 2015.
For converting the underground cables to overhead lines which he considered as a proactive measure, he said Sesco would have to invest around RM220,000.
There is a total of 630 streetlight posts along the Lutong-Kuala Baram stretch and Sesco has already converted 249 spans to overhead lines, he disclosed.
The poles which were given immediate attention were the ones close to residential areas, he added.
“Rampant hardware theft has caused malfunctioning streetlights which can endanger the lives of road users especially along Lutong-Kuala Baram road,” he disclosed further.
The public is asked to report any suspicious activities in their area.
Sarawak Energy can be contacted at 1300-88-3111.
All information will be kept confidential.