No More Ghost Stories? Karak Highway Is Finally Getting 297 Solar Street Lights

Photo for illustration purposes only.

If you’ve ever driven down the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) at 2:00 AM, you know the feeling. One minute you’re enjoying a late-night drive home from Genting Sempah, and the next, you're gripping the steering wheel tight because certain stretches feel pitch-black, eerie, and straight out of a classic Malaysian urban legend.

Well, night-owl road trippers and frequent East Coast travellers can breathe a little easier soon. The government has officially confirmed a major lighting upgrade for the infamous highway, and it's powered entirely by the sun!

TL;DR — The Key Highlights 30-Sec Summary 297 Solar LED Streetlights: Being installed along selected eastbound and westbound stretches of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) covering Bentong Timur, Karak, and Kampung Sungai Dua by the end of 2026. RM34.19 Million National Allocation: Part of a broader government budget funding solar street lighting across 362 dark, remote, or vandalism-prone federal road locations nationwide. Deterrent Against Cable Theft: Standalone solar units eliminate underground copper wiring—directly neutralizing copper cable thieves who frequently leave highways in pitch darkness. Up to 100% Accident Reductions: Initial monitoring in recently upgraded high-risk highway hotspots showed dramatic drops in nighttime traffic crashes following safety overhauls. Future Widening Project: An additional 26 km stretch after the Genting Sempah Tunnel to Mempaga Interchange will receive full streetlighting under the multi-stage KLK widening initiative (targeted completion by 2030).297 Solar Lights Coming to Dark Stretches by End of 2026

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Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (Photo credit: Bernama)

During a Dewan Negara session, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi revealed that an official contractor has been appointed to install 297 units of solar-powered LED streetlights along high-risk, pitch-black stretches of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK).

If you’ve ever had to navigate those unlit winding mountain turns in heavy rain or fog, this upgrade brings a long-overdue sigh of relief for nighttime drivers.

Exact Locations Getting Solar Streetlights

The installation covers key east and westbound lanes across critical blackspots between Bentong Timur, Karak, and Kampung Sungai Dua:

Location Breakdown: 297 Solar LED Streetlights Official Data Highway Section Direction Post Range Installed Units Bentong Timur – Karak Eastbound KM67.5 – KM68.8 43 Poles Bentong Timur – Karak Eastbound KM74.0 – KM76.2 73 Poles Bentong Timur – Kg. Sungai Dua Eastbound KM70.9 – KM73.0 69 Poles Bentong Timur – Kg. Sungai Dua Westbound KM64.8 – KM66.0 39 Poles Bentong Timur – Kg. Sungai Dua Westbound KM68.7 – KM70.9 73 Poles Total Solar LED Streetlights Approved 297 Units Source: UMNO ONLINE

👻 Karak Urban Legend Update Yellow Volkswagen driver in shambles: Karak Highway is officially getting 297 solar streetlights by the end of 2026.Why Solar Lights? (And Why Cable Thieves Are Out of Luck)

The Karak installation is part of a larger RM34.19 million national allocation for 2026 to install solar-powered LED lights at 362 targeted locations on federal roads nationwide, with a strong focus on rural roads in Sabah and Sarawak.

According to Minister Nanta Linggi, solar-powered lighting is ideal for three major reasons:

Remote Areas: Perfect for stretches far away from the existing electrical power grid.Anti-Vandalism: Traditional streetlights rely on underground copper cables that are frequently stolen by copper thieves, leaving entire highway stretches dark for months. Solar lights operate with self-contained poles and batteries, rendering cable theft useless!Green Technology: Squeezes energy directly from daytime sunlight to power high-intensity LED beams at night.

Fun Fact: Why Isn't Every Streetlight Solar? Tech Insight

Ever wondered why the government doesn't just convert every streetlight in Malaysia to solar power? Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi explained that in urban areas with existing electricity grids, conventional LED lights remain far more economical.

60% The Battery Factor In solar street lighting setups, the battery component alone accounts for roughly 60% of the total equipment cost! SOURCE: BERNAMA

More Upgrades: 26 km Highway Widening & 100% Accident Reductions

Lighting up Karak is just one piece of the puzzle. The ministry also highlighted that streetlights will be installed along an additional 26 km stretch extending from after the Genting Sempah Tunnel all the way to the Mempaga Intersection.

This forms part of the ongoing KLK Expressway widening project, which reached 6.4% progress as of July 25 and is slated for complete delivery by 2030 to ease holiday festive traffic jams.

Projects Overview Project Timeline Key Upgrade Target Scope Project 1: Immediate Safety By End of 2026 297 Solar LED Lights High-risk dark zones (Bentong Timur, Karak & Kg. Sg. Dua) using anti-theft standalone batteries. Project 2: Highway Widening Targeted 2030 Standard Grid Streetlights Full 26 KM stretch from Genting Sempah Tunnel to Mempaga Interchange.

Even better news for road safety? The ministry identified 13 high-risk accident hotspots across KLK and the East Coast Expressway Phase 1 (LPT1) this year for immediate safety overhauls.

🛑 Proven Road Safety Impact 100% Drop in Nighttime Accidents Recorded at recently upgraded high-risk blackspots following pavement fixes, rumble strips, crash barriers, and enhanced solar lighting.

So, whether you're heading home to Pahang for the weekend or making a late-night Genting run, your drive is about to get a whole lot brighter, and safer.