Elephant crash on LPT2: Concessionaire ordered to repair damaged safety fence

PETALING JAYA: The concessionaire of the East Coast Expressway 2 (LPT2) has been ordered to immediately repair a damaged safety fence following an accident involving a vehicle and a herd of elephants at Kilometre 274.6 northbound, near the Cheneh-Chukai stretch.

Works Minister Datuk Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi said an inspection at the location found that the existing safety fence had collapsed, believed to have been brought down by a herd of elephants passing through the area.

He added that the concessionaire has also been urged to study long-term measures to improve safety in the area.

"A technical team has been on site to assess the extent of the damage and coordinate repair works on an urgent basis. I have been informed that the repair works will begin by tomorrow (Aug 6) at the latest," he said in a post on X today.

A husband and wife were reported injured yesterday after the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) they were travelling in hit a group of elephants crossing the LPT2.

As an early preventive step, he said LPT2 has also been directed to increase the frequency of patrols, especially at night, in high-risk areas to monitor wildlife movement and ensure the safety of highway users.

He said the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) has likewise been instructed to hold discussions with LPT2 and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) to identify more effective long-term solutions.

Besides wildlife mitigation measures, Alexander said he had also directed that proposals to improve lighting in risk-prone areas, including the installation of LED lights, be studied to assess their suitability and the need for implementation.

He described the incident as serious as it involved not only road user safety but also reflected the growing challenge of managing human-wildlife conflict.