Your Instincts Aren’t Wrong: Bukit Aman Confirms Why We’re All Terrified Of Sharing Highways With Big Trucks

Photo for illustration purposes only.

We all have an unwritten rule when driving on Malaysian highways: give the big trucks space. We instinctively change lanes, speed up, or back away whenever a multi-tonne lorry gets too close. It’s a survival mechanism we’ve all developed. But recent data from Bukit Aman proves that your defensive driving instincts aren't just smart—they are absolutely necessary. Because the reality of who is sharing our roads at night is nothing short of a wake-up call.

Recent data from Bukit Aman reveals a terrifying reality about who we are sharing our highways with. During a targeted enforcement blitz between April and June 2026, authorities uncovered a chilling statistic:

Out of 135 individuals detained for drug use on our major highways, 121 of them were lorry drivers.

The Raw Numbers

Photo for illustration purposes only.

The Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) conducted 44 joint operations along major backbones like the North-South and East Coast Expressways. They screened commercial vehicles ranging from trailers to school buses.

The results of the 713 urine tests were nothing short of a wake-up call:

• The Overwhelming Majority: Nearly 90% of those detained for drug offenses were commercial vehicle drivers.
• The Drug of Choice: Methamphetamine (Syabu) was the most commonly detected substance.
• The Excuse: Drivers are using these illicit substances as a chemical "shortcut" to fight exhaustion, stay awake, and push through grueling, long-haul shifts.

When an exhausted driver gets behind the wheel of a 40-tonne commercial vehicle while under the influence of meth, that vehicle ceases to be logistics transport, it becomes a moving hazard to every family on the road.

Shifting the Blame to the Bosses

Bukit Aman JSPT Director Datuk Seri Muhammed Hasbullah Ali during a press conference on Wednesday. (Photo: Sinar Harian)

For decades, the legal playbook under the Road Transport Act 1987 has been simple: catch a rogue driver, penalize them, and move on. But Bukit Aman JSPT Director Datuk Seri Muhammed Hasbullah Ali is signaling that this "band-aid" era is over.

The JSPT is aggressively pushing for a systemic overhaul targeting the root cause: corporate accountability. They are rolling out two major initiatives:

• The Corporate Blacklist: Partnering with the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD), the JSPT is building a data-driven profiling system for drivers, transport companies, and vehicles. High-risk operators will no longer escape under the radar.
• Holding Employers Legally Accountable: The JSPT is submitting proposals to the government to alter existing laws. The goal? Ensure that when a driver is caught operating a vehicle while impaired, the transport companies and employers face severe legal consequences too.

A Warning to the Logistics Industry

The police have made it clear that transport operators can no longer plead ignorance or look the other way to protect their delivery timelines. The JSPT has issued a stern advisory telling companies to stop waiting for police roadblocks and start implementing mandatory, internal drug screenings for their own fleets.

The Bottom Line

Malaysian drivers have long demanded safer roads, and holding logistics giants accountable for the state of their drivers is a massive step in the right direction. If a company takes pride in its delivery speeds, it must take equal pride in its safety standards. The era of tolerating a "shortcut culture" fueled by dangerous substances on our highways is officially running out of time.

Source: BERNAMA | Sinar Harian