KUALA LUMPUR: Traffic started to build up on several major highways on Sunday (May 24) as Malaysians began making their way out of town for the Aidiladha holiday break.
The Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) on Facebook said the return rush had started about 5pm, with several key routes reporting slow-moving traffic.
Among the affected stretches was the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway, where traffic was slow eastbound from Gombak towards Bentong, including areas near Bukit Tinggi and Bentong.
On the North-South Expressway, congestion was reported northbound from Pedas Linggi towards Port Dickson.
Traffic was also slow after the Sungai Besi Toll Plaza heading towards Kuala Lumpur city centre, while congestion was reported in both directions at the Johor Causeway.
The evening traffic build-up was further compounded by several incidents on the PLUS highway.
MHA said an accident at KM159.5 northbound from Jawi towards Bandar Cassia had initially blocked the right lane and caused delays.
The right lane was later reopened as of 5.01pm, although the emergency lane remained closed.
In a separate incident, a trailer broke down at KM231.4 southbound from Changkat Jering towards Kuala Kangsar at 5.09pm.
The breakdown blocked the left lane and caused traffic to slow in the area.
“Motorists are advised to follow instructions from highway personnel and maintain a safe distance between vehicles,” MHA said.
The authority had earlier said that about 2.8 million vehicles were expected to use major highways on Sunday.
Traffic Management Centre supervisor Muhammad Aliff Syafiq Md Takiyudin said the figure was the highest daily traffic volume recorded since the start of the festive period.
To ease the journey, MHA advised those travelling from the north to consider using the West Coast Expressway between Taiping Utara and Hutan Melintang.
Road users returning from the east coast were also encouraged to use federal roads to avoid heavy congestion on major highways.
Motorists were urged to plan their journeys by checking the Travel Time Advisory through the MyPlus-TTA app or the AFA Prime website.
For the latest traffic updates or enquiries, the public can contact the MHA toll-free hotline at 1-800-88-7752.
