Overloaded heavy vehicles are the leading cause of road damage, says Works Minister.

SUNGAI BULOH, March 28 — Heavy vehicles exceeding their permissible laden weight are the primary cause of road damage, according to Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

He stated that the Works Ministry (KKR) and the Transport Ministry (MOT) are currently discussing solutions through a special committee addressing overloading issues.

“Heavy vehicles are a clear contributor to road damage... That’s why weight limits are in place, but some still violate the rules. The secretaries-general and officers from KKR and MOT are working on ways to tackle this issue,” he told reporters after conducting traffic monitoring at the Sungai Buloh Overhead Bridge Restaurant (Northbound) in conjunction with the Aidilfitri travel exodus.

His remarks were in response to media reports highlighting that overloaded heavy vehicles—exceeding 10 per cent of their permissible laden weight (BDM)—can reduce road lifespan by up to 50 per cent.

Highway Readiness for Aidilfitri Travel

Meanwhile, Nanta assured that various agencies are well-prepared to manage the expected surge in vehicles on major highways as Aidilfitri approaches, likely to be celebrated next Monday.

During the monitoring session, he received briefings from Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) director-general Datuk Sazali Harun and PLUS Malaysia Bhd chief operating officer Datuk Zakaria Ahmad Zabidi. He also interacted with road users and distributed Raya goodies at the rest area.

The government has announced a 50 per cent Aidilfitri toll discount from midnight tonight until 11:59 PM tomorrow, with RM19.69 million allocated as compensation for toll concessionaires involved.

Traffic Surge and Expected Movement

The outbound traffic from the capital toward the north, south, and east coast began yesterday and is expected to continue until Sunday, while return traffic is anticipated from April 4 to 6.

LLM projects a daily traffic increase to 2.77 million vehicles on major highways during the festive period, including:

2.1 million on highways under PLUS

216,000 on the KL-Karak Expressway

176,000 on the West Coast Expressway

156,000 on the East Coast Expressway 1 (LPT1)

70,000 on LPT2

Government Commitment to Highway Maintenance

In a statement, LLM reaffirmed Nanta’s commitment to ensuring that highway concessionaires fulfill their maintenance responsibilities, keeping roads and facilities in optimal condition.

Emergency response teams—including the police, fire brigade, Road Transport Department (JPJ), and RELA—have been mobilized to ensure swift response times for any incidents.

Measures to Manage Festive Traffic

Highway concessionaires have implemented several initiatives to ease congestion, including:

Travel time advisory for better trip planning

Smart lane activation at 28 locations along the North-South Highway

Additional 66 portable toilets for improved convenience

Temporary parking spaces to accommodate high traffic volume

Multi-transactional toll lanes for smoother toll collection

Nanta also advised motorcyclists to remain alert, particularly in areas with active smart lanes, and to use designated motorcycle shelters in case of bad weather. — Bernama