Monday July 2, 2012

Streetlights do not work during crucial hours

By EDWARD R. HENRY
edward@thestar.com.my

THE solar streetlights in Section 11, Section 17 and Taman Bahagia in Petaling Jaya are defective and residents are irked that their repeated calls to remove them have fallen on deaf ears

The residents said the system was meant to light up their back lanes from dusk to dawn but the lights only came on at 7pm and dimmed at midnight.

A majority of the residents who registered their complaints with the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) are frustrated that since the 119 streetlights were installed, nothing had been done to rectify the defects.

Faulty: Residents of Section 11 have urged the PJ City Council to remove the faulty solar lights but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

A resident, N. Indira said the streetlights installed in December 2010 had failed to serve its purpose to light up the back lanes during the crucial period of between 1am and 6am when break-ins normally occur.

Another resident, Anita Ahmad Sirajuddin, 25, said Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman should visit the neighbourhoods and see the problem for himself.

“This way, he can decide whether to correct the defect or simply remove the streetlights,” she said.

“We want action to be taken and not be ignored like this. MBPJ must do something.

If the solar lights are defective, remove them and replace with LED lights which can be installed on the existing poles to cut cost,” said the marketing executive.

Roslan, when contacted, said the solar lights were an initiative by the Housing and Local Government Ministry and that MBPJ had helped facilitate the project.

However, he said he had discussed the problem with the engineering department and it had been decided that the solar light poles would remain but now operate using electricity.

“Now we need to lay the cables and link them to the nearest streetlights feeder box,” he said.