MOT Unveils 2025 Road Safety Strategy

In the Ministry of Transport (MOT) 2025 New Year Address held yesterday, Transport Minister YB Anthony Loke expressed concern regarding the rising number of accidents involving heavy vehicles. This has heightened public anxiety over road safety especially following the recent express bus accident which killed 7 people in Melaka.

According to Loke, MOT is committed to implementing comprehensive measures aimed at reducing these risks and enhancing safety for all road users.

In partnership with relevant authorities - National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the Road Transport Department (JPJ), MOT will carry out ongoing, coordinated operations to bolster enforcement. Strict adherence to the traffic laws controlling heavy trucks will be ensured by these initiatives.

The "High Speed - Weigh in Motion" (HS-WIM) system is also being deployed by MOT, with plans to start operations by the third quarter of 2025. This system will potentially solve overloading problems and will be placed strategically in high-risk locations and busy intersections.

Additionally, improvements will also be made to the Automated Awareness Safety System (AWAS), which moves static monitoring to a point-to-point system. By figuring out the average speeds between checkpoints, this method will allow for thorough speed monitoring, which will promote safer driving practices and lower the number of accidents.

At the same time, MOT is evaluating to revise the laws under the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board Act of 1987, the Land Public Transport Act of 2010, as well as the Road Transport Act of 1987.

It will include enacting rules for pick-up trucks to guarantee the safe transportation of products within allowable bounds, making consignees responsible for their involvement in overloading offences, and imposing fines depending on overloading percentages.

Furthermore, MOT will strengthen training programs under the Industrial Code of Practice (ICOP) through APAD in order to raise safety awareness among heavy vehicle operators. The goal of this is to increase adherence to traffic safety laws.

Heavy vehicle periodic inspection protocols will also be improved, with an emphasis on crucial safety elements like tires and brakes. Additionally, in order to provide more effective inspections, more vehicle inspection centers will also be added to compete with PUSPAKOM.

MOT is also reviewing policies on "rebuilt" heavy vehicles, ensuring only those meeting stringent safety and quality standards are allowed on the road. "Rebuilt" vehicles are vehicles assembled locally with used imported components but registered as new in Malaysia. The "rebuilt" vehicle policy reassessment will be undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI).

Loke also noted that MOT will continue to enforce existing laws rigorously while welcoming collaboration and input from all stakeholders to create safer roads for everyone.