PETALING JAYA: Road maintenance allocations must translate into faster repairs, fewer road defects and safer journeys, particularly for vulnerable road users, say experts.
Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre head Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua said strengthening district engineers’ roles could help reduce administrative delays and enable quicker responses to road defects.
“While many roadway deficiencies do not necessitate extensive construction projects, delayed detection, approval procedures and maintenance actions may increase crash probabilities, particularly among motorcycle riders,” he said.
Law said the allocations for federal and state roads were important because maintenance required continuous attention, given the effects of heavy traffic, weather conditions and increasing mobility demands.
However, he cautioned that the funds’ adequacy would depend on the extent of existing damage, repair requirements and the efficiency of implementation.
“The RM40mil allocated towards small-scale interventions will contribute towards addressing emergent deficiencies but fail to serve as comprehensive solutions to larger maintenance requirements,” he said.
Law said the government should prioritise preventive maintenance instead of waiting for potholes and other defects to become serious problems.
He also called for regular road-condition monitoring, accurate road data and measurable performance targets for district engineers, including timelines for completing repairs.
“The effectiveness of the allocations should ultimately be assessed through reductions in road defects, faster repair responses, improved road safety and more reliable journeys,” he added.
Malaysian Road and Transport Safety Association president Md Hairolzaman Muhamed Nor said the allocations reflected a balanced approach to maintaining major road infrastructure while addressing smaller but urgent safety concerns.
He said the RM40mil allocation for district engineers could help reduce bureaucracy and allow authorities to respond more quickly to critical defects.
“The nearly RM800mil set aside for G1 to G4 contractors would also support smaller local companies by allowing them to participate in government road maintenance projects.”
However, Md Hairolzaman said the sufficiency of the overall allocation would depend on how effectively the funds were managed on the ground.
He noted that federal roads faced heavy traffic volumes, while rising material costs and unexpected damage caused by extreme weather, floods and landslides could add pressure to maintenance budgets.
“Transparent implementation, effective digital systems for tracking repairs and efficient public complaint channels would be important to ensure the funds were spent appropriately.”
