TEROWONG MENORA: THE REAL STORY BEHIND IT.

That's the iconic one - on the North-South Expressway near Jelapang, Ipoh. It's beautiful, but on the road it has a very heavy reputation.

Here's the full breakdown:

1. The Real Tunnel - Facts

What it is: Terowong Menora / Meru-Menora Tunnel. It's actually TWO tunnels side-by-side, one for northbound and one for southbound.

Location: Underneath the Keledang Range (Banjaran Keledang), at KM 260 near Jelapang, Perak. Coordinates: 4°41′29″N 101°1′7″E

Size: Officially 800 m long, but because the entrance/exit cuts are different, one side is 880 m and the other 830 m.

History: 

• Construction started in 1983 by United Engineers Malaysia Berhad (UEM).
• Opened officially 24 September 1987 by Sultan Azlan Muhibuddin Shah
• Part of the RM360 million Ipoh-Changkat Jering highway project, the second toll road in Perak.

Why it's dangerous (not supernatural):

It's a known blackspot. Steep slope, sharp bends, and long downhill stretches before and after the tunnel. Heavy vehicles lose brakes here.

Stats: 

• Between the tunnel mouth at KM 260.0 and the old Jelapang toll site: 142 accidents recorded from 2003 onwards, 12 dead, 74 seriously injured
• In 2018 alone: 564 accidents in the tunnel, 7 fatal accidents with 11 fatalities
• Recent worst: 12 May 2022, 5 students from Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (USAS) died in a fiery crash with two trailers near the tunnel

That's why PLUS has put AWAS speed cameras on both sides, and the government is pushing the WISE bypass (West Ipoh Span Expressway from Gopeng to Kuala Kangsar) to avoid it.

2. The Haunted Stories - Why people say it's haunted

Because so many fatal accidents happened there, local lore says the spirits of victims never left. It's regularly listed as one of Malaysia's most haunted highways alongside Karak Highway.

The classic stories drivers tell:

1. The Honking Ritual: Many lorry and car drivers will honk 2-3 times before entering the tunnel. The belief is you're asking for permission from the penunggu (guardian) - a Pontianak said to reside in the jungle/tunnel. Legend says Pontianak's sudden appearances cause accidents.

2. The Mosque That Doesn't Exist: A common story from your exact spot - at dusk around 7pm, drivers claim to see a bright mosque and people in white walking to pray on the left side of the road just after the tunnel. When they look again, it's just a dense forest. There's no mosque there.

3. Shared with Karak Highway - the Yellow Volkswagen: Although more famous on Karak, the Menora version exists too. A driverless old yellow VW Beetle is driving slowly in the left lane. If you overtake it, it appears in front of you again a few hundred meters later. If you look inside, there is no driver.

4. The Extra Passenger: Drivers (especially lone drivers at night) report hearing breathing, or feeling someone sitting in the back seat, or seeing a woman with long black hair in the rearview mirror inside the tunnel.

5. The Smell of Flowers / Cold Spot: Sudden strong fragrance of frangipani (bunga kemboja) or sudden cold draft inside the tunnel even with windows closed – classic Pontianak sign in Malay folklore.

No official or scientific evidence for any of this, of course. JPJ and PLUS attribute everything to road geometry, speeding, brake failure, and fatigue. But for locals who drive KL-Ipoh regularly, the combination of dark rainforest, 800 m of pitch-dark tunnel, and knowing so many died on that slope makes it feel very eerie – especially 12am-3am.

Have you ever driven through it yourself at night? Most people say the northbound descent after the tunnel towards Ipoh is the worst – you pick up speed so fast without realising.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

28 October 2026: 2:50 a.m.