Weighty problem: The bridge connects the north and south estuaries with Kuala Terengganu. — Bernama
Safety reasons cited for ban on trucks weighing five tonnes on T’ganu drawbridge
PETALING JAYA: Hauliers are crying foul over the latest weight and height restriction imposed on the Kuala Terengganu Drawbridge, an iconic structure that was meant to provide better connectivity around Kuala Terengganu by spanning the mouth of the Terengganu River.
The drawbridge that has since become an iconic structure in Malaysia opened to the public in 2019 after five years of construction.
In a statement on Dec 16 last year that was reported by Bernama, TI Properties Sdn Bhd CEO Awasi Mohamad said starting Jan 1 this year, no vehicle weighing more than five tonnes (whether empty or loaded) or taller than 3.5m will be allowed to use the drawbridge to ensure the safety of other road users and also to retain the structural integrity of the bridge.
Before this, there were no limits for vehicular traffic on the drawbridge.
In response, the Association of Malaysian Hauliers (AMH) said while AMH respects the state government’s efforts to preserve iconic structures, a better balance needs to be drawn for real-world conditions.
“The critical logistics and economic infrastructure should not be constrained by blanket restrictions that fail to reflect present-day industry realities.
“Malaysia is no longer living in the 1950s. Heavy vehicles form the backbone of a modern economy, enabling trade, industry, construction and the movement of essential goods,” AMH said in a statement.
“Restrictions imposed without the provision of practical, efficient and equivalent alternative routes will inevitably increase logistics costs, reduce business competitiveness and ultimately impact consumers.”
According to AMH secretary Mohamad Azuan Masud, it is regrettable that Malaysia has developed a tendency to restrict usage instead of improving infrastructure shortfalls.
“This approach sends a dangerous signal – that whenever infrastructure is found to be inadequate, the default solution is restriction rather than enhancement.
“Such decisions risk encouraging other authorities to adopt the same mindset: if a bridge or road cannot accommodate heavy vehicles, simply ban them.
“This is a familiar excuse often cited when the industry requests reviews under the Weight Restriction Order 2018 (WRO 2018). Infrastructure limitations are repeatedly used as justification, while meaningful upgrades are deferred indefinitely.
“This raises a fundamental question: how long must the industry and the nation wait before our infrastructure reaches world-class standard? Logistics cannot be expected to support national growth and supply chain resilience if infrastructure development consistently lags behind policy enforcement,” he said.
Critics argue that affected stakeholders can rightly question why higher loading was not proposed when the drawbridge was mooted, as planners should rightfully have planned for the long term.
For example, the iconic London Tower Bridge, allows vehicles of up to 18 tonnes to pass, even though it was designed more than 140 years ago (in 1884).
“The legitimate question that deserves to be raised is – if the bridge was originally planned and budgeted to support higher load capacities, does the current restriction indicate a limitation in technical specifications or does it suggest that additional investment is now required for the bridge to perform as originally intended?” Azuan asked.
TI Properties is the concessionaire managing the 638m structure that was funded by Terengganu at a cost of RM248mil.
The Star had reached out to the East Coast Economic Region Development Council for comment.
