[Watch] Billboard Collapses On Kajang SILK Highway; Nobody Was Hurt, But Who’s Responsible?
A giant billboard collapsed onto the Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway, also known as Kajang SILK, during a storm on 3 May, narrowly missing vehicles near the UPM Interchange — a moment caught on video that quickly went viral.
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A large tree collapsed onto the Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway, also known as Kajang SILK, during a storm on 3 May, narrowly missing vehicles travelling near the UPM Interchange, where the highway meets the Sungai Besi Expressway toward Kuala Lumpur.
The collapse was captured on video by Threads user @azmir.dan but was initially misidentified as having occurred along the South Klang Valley Expressway (SKVE).
The incident at approximately 2:43 pm on Sunday (3 May) showed the multi-steel-frame structure tilting progressively under strong winds before falling across the highway corridor.
No vehicles were struck, and no injuries were reported.
But the near-miss has renewed questions about who is responsible for the many large-format billboards lining Malaysian highways — and what happens when one of them lands on your vehicle.
View on Threads
This Has Happened Before
What makes this incident harder to dismiss as a freak weather event is another angle of giant billboards in general, including illegally constructed ones.
Threads user @azroy_baggeroi stated he had previously sent an email to the press in hopes of securing coverage regarding illegal billboards.
He claimed that at one point, about 20 unlicensed billboards had collapsed during heavy rain in Bangi and Serdang, but received no response whatsoever.
The public is now calling for legislation to specifically restrict billboard height, size, and minimum setback from active highway lanes — a conversation that, notably, is happening after a collapse rather than before.
While Malaysia’s MS 1553:2002 sets out wind load requirements that billboard structures are expected to meet, enforcement is delegated entirely to local governments (PBT) — with no national body conducting post-approval structural inspections, and no uniform standard governing proximity to highway lanes.
Approval for such structures sits in a jurisdictional grey zone: PBTs issue the permits, while highway concessionaires govern what sits within their land concession.
If Your Vehicle Gets Hit — What You Can Do
First, document everything on the spot — photograph the structure, your vehicle damage, the location, and collect witness contacts.
Liability can fall on three parties: the billboard owner, the highway concessionaire, or the local authority (PBT) that issued the permit.
Start by sending a formal letter of demand to the highway concessionaire, as they have a duty of care for structures on their concession land.
If disputed or delayed, lodge a comprehensive insurance claim with your own insurer immediately to cover damages in the interim — your No Claim Discount (NCD) can be recovered once negligence is established.
Small claims under RM5,000 can be brought to the Tribunal for Consumer Claims Malaysia (TTPM) without a lawyer.
For serious damage or injury, engage a civil litigation lawyer — courts have precedent for awarding damages against highway operators for negligence.
The key is to act fast, stay documented, and don’t assume the concessionaire will volunteer accountability.
READ MORE: [Watch] Advertisement Canvas Detaches From Billboard, Covers Car On Federal Highway
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