A train brake failure in Pangi has prompted urgent calls for a road to be built, as the remote village currently relies solely on rail for access.
TENOM: A life-threatening train incident in Pangi this morning has reignited urgent calls for the construction of land routes to connect the interior settlement with other areas in Sabah.
The incident involved a train that reportedly suffered brake failure while carrying a teacher from Sekolah Kebangsaan Pangi, which was averted after several villagers acted swiftly by placing motorcycle trolleys on the tracks to slow and stop the train.
Sabah Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Jamawi Jaafar, who is also the Melalap Assemblyman, described the incident as a serious safety warning and stressed that Pangi’s continued reliance on rail transport alone poses significant risks to residents.
“I urge the Sabah State Railway Department to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and take immediate measures to ensure it does not recur,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page today.
Jamawi also highlighted the urgent need for safer alternative land routes, describing rail transport as a critical lifeline for residents in the interior who depend on it for access to essential services, education and economic activities.
He urged the Public Works Department to expedite the long-awaited Tenom–Pangi road project, which was approved by the Chief Minister in early 2025 and for which a contractor has reportedly been appointed.
Pangi, located in the interior of Sabah, is accessible only by train, including connections to Tenom, as there are no road links connecting the area to neighbouring towns.
Meanwhile, a 31-second video of the anxious moments aboard the train has gone viral on social media, further intensifying public calls for both railway safety reforms and the immediate development of road connectivity to Pangi.
