Malaysia Ministry of Works seeks RM6 billion for road maintenance

Malaysia's Ministry of Works requires an annual allocation of between RM5 billion and RM6 billion to maintain the Federal Road network across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. Deputy Minister of Works, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan, stated in Parliament that the current allocation for 2026 is only RM3.18 billion.

The 2026 budget breakdown includes RM2.08 billion for Peninsular Malaysia, RM640 million for Sabah, and RM461 million for Sarawak. To address this shortfall, the Ministry of Works intends to request additional funding from the Ministry of Finance in upcoming budgets to ensure road quality and safety.

The ministry is utilizing Pavement Condition Assessments (PCA) to evaluate the state and usability of Federal Roads before commencing repairs. This data-driven approach aims to ensure maintenance is performed based on actual road conditions rather than arbitrary patching. PCA processes are currently being implemented for Federal Roads in Sabah and Sarawak.