Phoong Jin Zhe
KOTA KINABALU: Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Datuk Phoong Jin Zhe, who is also Luyang Assemblyman, has called for immediate Federal intervention, warning that Jalan Lintas has become a notorious accident black spot in Kota Kinabalu.
“As one of the city’s busiest highways, the authorities can no longer turn a blind eye,” he said in a statement today, in response to recent viral reports highlighting multiple fatal accidents along Jalan Lintas.
Phoong emphasised that the current state of Jalan Lintas is severely outdated and no longer meets the needs of modern traffic, posing serious safety risks to road users.
He reiterated his call for the Federal Government to prioritise Jalan Lintas for upgrading under the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), citing it as a crucial and targeted solution to a worsening public safety issue.
He explained that while Jalan Lintas was initially designed to expressway standards, rapid urbanisation in areas such as Luyang, Sembulan, Kolombong and Lintas has spurred extensive residential and commercial development. This has, in turn, led to the uncontrolled addition of exits and U-turns, increasing traffic conflict points and reducing road safety.
“The current volume of traffic far exceeds the road’s design capacity. Peak-hour congestion, frequent traffic lights, and poorly planned U-turns have turned what should be a smooth expressway into a hazardous route,” he said.
He pointed to the notorious areas near Khidmat and Iramanis Starbucks, now referred to online as “death U-turn” zones due to the frequency and severity of accidents—many of which are caught on video and widely shared online.
Phoong also said that the last major upgrade to Jalan Lintas took place during 11MP—over a decade ago—with the construction of U-turn flyovers near Luyang Clinic and intersection flyovers between Lido and Lintas.
“Since then, both the population and vehicle count have doubled in the surrounding areas. It’s unacceptable that infrastructure has not kept pace with development,” he said.
“Further upgrades are urgently needed.”
He revealed that he has been in active discussion with relevant agencies to propose a comprehensive Jalan Lintas upgrade under 13MP. The proposal includes eliminating hazardous U-turns, building elevated U-turn flyovers, constructing express lanes and interchanges and reorganising exit layouts to separate residential and commercial traffic access.
“One key proposal is to build an express lane from the Inanam flyover directly to Kota Kinabalu International Airport, similar to the dedicated express routes seen in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. This would reduce dangerous lane merging and improve traffic safety,” he said.
Phoong, who also serves as Sabah DAP Chairman, urged the Sabah Public Works Department (JKR) to champion the project and provide strong justification for its inclusion in 13MP.
He further stressed that any infrastructure upgrade must be integrated with proper public transport planning to accommodate the city’s ongoing growth and ease the burden on private vehicle usage.
“It’s time to stop treating Jalan Lintas as a secondary issue. People’s lives are at stake, and the solution must be long-term and systemic—not piecemeal,” he said.
