This is the shocking moment a sinkhole opened up on a road in Malaysia.

Dashcam footage shows how a black Perodua Alza had stopped at a red light in Bayan Lepas, Penang, near a school on Tuesday, November 4.

Moments later, a section of the road beside the stationary car suddenly crumpled, prompting the nearby driver to reverse.

Filmer Guo said: 'I was shocked when I saw the road suddenly collapse into a sinkhole. Fortunately, no one was injured.

'I'm grateful to the man on the motorcycle in the video who stopped to direct traffic - otherwise, the consequences could have been unimaginable.

'Road safety is the most important thing for me as a driver.'

An investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing.

Sinkholes occur when the ground beneath the surface collapses or sinks due to several natural or human-made processes. The holes can range in size from small depressions to large caverns, causing significant damage.