KUCHING: Cable theft and vandalism targeting street lighting infrastructure in the Satok area continues to pose a serious threat to public safety, with calls growing for stronger enforcement and greater community vigilance to stamp out the problem.
Satok assemblyman Datuk Ibrahim Baki, speaking to the press after the Smart Street Lighting launch ceremony at Padang SLPAS Kompleks Sukan Satok on Saturday (June 13), said the problem was not limited to those who steal the cables but extended to those who purchase them.
“This vandalism never stops. The culprit is not only the person who took the cable – it is also the buyer. If there is no buyer, there would be no theft,” he said.
Ibrahim said the Satok Suspension Bridge had since been brought under control following the installation of security measures and CCTV cameras but called for the same attention to be extended to remaining vulnerable areas such as Datuk Amar Juma’ani Bridge.
He added that funding had already been approved for a wider CCTV rollout, which would allow authorities to better identify and act against those responsible.
“The greater loss is to the community. When cables are stolen, lights go out, and dark streets are dangerous streets,” he said.
He called on police to step up patrols and monitoring and urged the community to play their part by reporting suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods.
