KUALA LUMPUR: The Works Ministry has been allocated RM2.96bil in 2025 to maintain federal roads nationwide, including tackling potholes and other damage.
Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan told the Dewan Rakyat the sum was an increase of RM490mil to cover routine and periodic pavement and non‑pavement works, minor bridge repairs, as well as the maintenance of streetlights and traffic lights.
Of the total, RM2.36bil has been earmarked for Peninsular Malaysia, while RM595.6mil is for Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.
In the peninsula, major allocations include RM428.85mil for Pahang, RM424.08mil for Johor, RM336.38mil for Perak and RM247.15mil for Selangor. Sabah will receive RM341.74mil, Sarawak RM213.22mil and Labuan RM40.63mil.
Ahmad Maslan said the works will be carried out by federal road concessionaires through work instructions and by the Public Works Department (JKR) via departmental procurement.
He added that federal roads are maintained through three main methods, namely routine, periodic and emergency works undertaken by appointed concessionaires.
“Routine maintenance is done to prevent minor damage from getting worse, including early pothole repairs, while periodic maintenance involves more extensive works on the road surface and its underlying structure.
“For emergency cases, repairs are carried out immediately when there is critical damage that threatens road safety. On federal roads, potholes must be patched within 24 hours of being detected,” he said.
He was replying to Zahari Kechik (PN–Jeli), who asked about road maintenance allocations for 2024 and 2025 and measures to address damaged and pothole‑ridden roads.
Ahmad Maslan said state and municipal roads are under the purview of state governments, which use Malaysian Road Records Information System (Marris) allocations from the Finance Ministry, while agricultural and rural roads are maintained by the Agriculture Ministry and the Rural and Regional Development Ministry respectively.
