Public Works Ministry spends entire RM2b road maintenance allocation, to seek more funds

SEBERANG PERAI, Aug 18 — The Works Ministry has fully used its roughly RM2 billion allocation for road maintenance and aims to seek more funds, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said today. However, he stated the ministry needs about RM4 billion annually to carry out repairs comprehensively. The ministry, its senior officials, and the Works Minister are scheduled to meet Finance Minister II today to seek additional funding for road maintenance needs. This includes asking for more funds to maintain damaged roads and improve safety for road users. The ministry prioritizes accident-prone locations, or accident hotspots, due to insufficient funding to address every road maintenance need nationwide. They maintain hotspots through resurfacing works, road furniture maintenance, and lighting maintenance. Ahmad noted that road conditions contribute only 13% to accidents, with the majority caused by human negligence. Vehicle-related accidents account for 7%, involving issues like brake failure or poor vehicle maintenance. The ministry introduced the Tuju application, developed by the Malaysian Highway Authority, which provides live traffic information, navigation services, toll rates, rest area locations, emergency contacts, and efficient routes. Tuju also includes MyJalan for reporting damaged roads and real-time access to CCTV cameras. The application aims to help motorists avoid congested routes.