Sabah Villagers Work Together to Stop Train With Brake Failure by Pushing Motorcycle Trolley Onto the Tracks

Many of us would panic at the thought of a train losing its brakes — after all, it’s the kind of emergency that feels almost impossible to stop. But in a remarkable display of quick thinking, a group of villagers in Sabah managed to do just that by pushing a motorcycle trolley onto a railway track to slow down a moving train.

In a Facebook post, Melalap assemblyman Datuk Jamawi Jaafar shared that the incident took place on Tuesday (3 March). At the time, the train was carrying teachers from SK Pangi, Tenom, when the brake failure occurred.

Image Credit: Facebook

A passenger on the train managed to capture an inside look, showing teachers crouching low on the floor as they braced themselves between the seats. Some could be heard praying aloud as the train continued speeding forward. In the video, at least one child could be seen being cradled by a man during the tense moment.

According to Jamawi, several villagers who witnessed the situation quickly banded together and placed a motorcycle trolley on the tracks. Thankfully, the train was successfully stopped, and everyone on board was reportedly safe.

Jamawi also shared photos of the motorcycle trolley, which was crushed on impact while stopping the train.

Image Credit: Facebook

In his post, Jamawi urged the Sabah State Railway Department to conduct a full investigation into the incident and take immediate steps to prevent similar accidents from happening again.

Additionally, he called on the Public Works Department (JKR) to expedite the Tenom-Pangi road project, which had already been approved in early 2025.

Another assemblyman has since issued a statement echoing Jamawi’s concerns

Former Sabah education senior assistant director and Likas assemblyman Tham Yun Fook said that there is no point discussing educational reform if access to education in Sabah remains physically unsafe.

“A single technical failure had the potential to endanger teachers, students, and families. That reality alone demands urgent policy recalibration," he said.

"We are relieved that no lives were lost. But governance cannot depend on relief and luck. Public safety must be guaranteed through planning, investment, and accountability."

"When access to education is physically unsafe, discussions about educational reform, excellence, and competitiveness lose credibility. Infrastructure inequality inevitably produces educational inequality,” he said, as reported by NST.

Watch a video of the incident below:

Featured Image Credit: Facebook