A day after a deadly gang clash at Bath Castle marriage palace, in which two guests were killed, the police have arrested four people, including a woman, for harbouring the accused and aiding their escape. The arrested persons have been identified as Sandeep Kaur of Barewal
Malaysia’s Glowing Roads That Promised No Streetlights – Here’s Why It Failed
What Was Malaysia’s Glowing Roads That Could Replace Streetlights; Why It Ended In Stunning Failure?
Malaysia tried to replace streetlights with glow-in-the-dark roads to save lives, but an unexpected problem shut the experiment down.
Kuala Lumpur: An experiment lit up the imagination of drivers and policymakers at Semenyih in Malaysia. A 245-meter stretch of road was painted not with ordinary white stripes but with glow-in-the-dark photoluminescent paint. It absorbs sunlight during the day, glow at night and eliminate the need for electricity on rural roads plagued by poor lighting. The pilot project by the Public Works Department (JKR) aimed to provide a cost-effective solution to Malaysia's deadly nighttime driving record.
Initial reactions were overwhelmingly positive. Drivers reported significantly better visibility during heavy rain and fog, particularly in areas with no streetlights. Social media buzzed with praise for both the aesthetics and the potential to save lives in a country where traffic accidents claim over 6,000 lives annually.
But the glow dimmed quickly. By November 2024, Deputy Works Minister Ahmad Maslan confirmed that the government would not expand the project.
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Glow-in-the-dark roads are not entirely new. Trials in the Netherlands and Japan have experimented with photoluminescent paint, often on short stretches or bicycle lanes. Malaysia, however, attempted something far more ambitious: replacing traditional lighting in rural areas where electricity access is limited.
Economic challenges quickly became apparent. According to official statements reported by Paul Tan's Automotive News, the specialised paint cost RM749 per square meter (roughly USD 158), nearly 20 times higher than standard white thermoplastic markings, which cost about RM40 per square meter.
Cost was not the only obstacle. Malaysia's humid and rainy climate exposed the paint's technical limitations. Engineers from the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) raised concerns over durability, highlighting that photoluminescent coatings often degrade within 12 to 18 months in tropical conditions, according to the International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology.
Even Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi, who had praised the road markings in October 2023, acknowledged in a statement posted on Meta that implementation costs were “relatively high” and the long-term durability remained uncertain.
The public's excitement soon faded. Social media posts shifted from celebration to criticism. Citizens questioned government priorities, pointing to potholes, faded signage and poorly maintained roads.
“Ask your officers to drive during rain or at night, you will see the poor visibility, potholes and uneven roads. That is what causes accidents,” wrote one Meta user.
The backlash highlighted broader concerns in Malaysia's infrastructure approach. While innovation is valued, many citizens remain wary when costly pilot programmes appear to overshadow urgent maintenance needs.
Though Malaysia abandoned the glow-in-the-dark roads, research continues worldwide. At TU Delft in the Netherlands, scientists are developing next-generation luminescent paints with better weather resistance and lower production costs.
Japan's National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management (NILIM) is testing similar applications in urban areas with high ambient light.
Despite these advancements, large-scale adoption remains rare. Even countries with the technical capacity and favourable conditions find photoluminescent roads economically challenging compared with LED streetlights, which offer durability, consistent illumination and easier maintenance.
Malaysia's experiment now serves as a cautionary tale for governments exploring infrastructure innovation. Ambition alone is not enough. Financial, climatic and real-world maintenance factors must be carefully considered before large-scale rollout. The glowing roads may have promised a futuristic solution for safer driving, but in practice, reality dimmed the glow long before the first electric-free night had ended.
Source: ZeeNews
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A day after a deadly gang clash at Bath Castle marriage palace, in which two guests were killed, the police have arrested four people, including a woman, for harbouring the accused and aiding their escape. The arrested persons have been identified as Sandeep Kaur of Barewal
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