KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s road network is facing growing pressure from traffic demand, ageing assets and higher maintenance costs, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said today.
He said climate-related hazards, including extreme heat, floods and landslides, had added to the challenge of keeping roads reliable and safe.
“Our road network faces growing pressure from traffic demand, ageing assets and higher maintenance costs.
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“Climate-related hazards, including extreme heat, floods and landslides, add to these challenges, alongside the need to consider seismic risks.
“We must therefore rethink how we design, maintain and protect our roads so that they remain reliable for future generations,” he said in his opening address at the 13th Malaysian Road Conference and Exhibition 2026 here.
Nanta said the shift was necessary as the 13th Malaysia Plan, covering 2026 to 2030, marked a move from simply building more roads to developing networks that were more resilient, intelligent and sustainable.
He said road networks must also be better integrated with economic activity, including trade, logistics, tourism, regional links and rural development.
“The 13th Malaysia Plan marks an important shift in our infrastructure strategy, from simply building more roads to developing networks that are resilient, intelligent, sustainable and better integrated with economic activity.
“High-quality road connections remain vital to trade, logistics, tourism, regional integration and rural development,” he said.
Nanta said the Works Ministry (KKR)’s priorities included completing the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah and Sarawak, the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road, the Kota Bharu-Kuala Krai Highway and the Lebuhraya Lingkaran Tengah Utama.
He said the ministry would also continue upgrading heavily used federal roads and strengthening access to ports, airports, economic corridors, industrial parks and logistics centres.
Nanta also said MYJalan had received 70,232 complaints from Aug 1, 2023 to Aug 31 this year.
Of that number, 22,131 involved roads under KKR agencies, while 48,101 were referred to local authorities and other relevant agencies.
He said 21,444 of the KKR-related complaints, or 96.90%, had been resolved, while the remaining 687 were still under investigation.
Nanta said the figures showed the need for a clear channel for road users to report defects and safety concerns.
He said MYJalan operated under KKR’s “No Wrong Door Policy”, allowing the public to submit road-related complaints without first identifying whether a road was managed by the federal government, a state authority, local council or highway concessionaire.
The conference, held together with the sixth International Road Federation Global Asia-Pacific Regional Congress, carries the theme “Transforming the Nation through Future-Ready Roads”.
The programme involved 118 technical papers across 10 road engineering subfields and 112 exhibition spaces featuring local and international industry players.