Malaysia's aging roads pose safety risks, minister says

Malaysia faces significant challenges in ensuring road user safety due to the aging condition of its infrastructure. Road surfaces, pavements, and tunnels are showing signs of wear, compromising their strength and resilience. Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi stated that many of the country's roads are no longer as robust as when they were first built, making them more susceptible to damage. This deterioration impacts the roads' capacity to handle heavy vehicles, a crucial consideration as the government contemplates increasing weight limits. "The road assets in our country cannot be denied have aged significantly. Therefore, they are no longer strong enough to support the needs of heavy vehicles in this modern era," Linggi told reporters. He emphasized that road asset condition is a key factor in efforts to reduce accidents. The minister also mentioned that strategies to address road safety were discussed in a recent meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The government is implementing various strategies to combat road accidents, which resulted in an average of 18 fatalities per day nationwide last year.

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The road assets in our country cannot be denied have aged significantly. Therefore, they are no longer strong enough to support the needs of heavy vehicles in this modern era.