SIBU: Lorries carrying goods should be allowed to ferry heavier loads now that road quality has improved across Sarawak.
The state Transport Ministry has proposed that the permissible weight of lorries carrying goods be increased to between 38 tonnes and 44 tonnes.
Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin said the current federal law and regulation that was enacted and implemented in Sarawak prohibits lorries laden with goods over 38,000 kg or 38 tonnes compared to Peninsular Malaysia.
He stressed that the roads and bridges in Sarawak are designed according to the JKR Malaysia standard and specification like what is applied in Peninsular Malaysia.
“The government is aware that over the decades, logistics and forwarders’ businesses have grown and expanded. As economic activities expand and industries shift from light to medium and heavy, the cargo and goods carried are far heavier.
“At the same time, Sarawak’s roads are expanding in terms of capacity and technical specifications. The double carriageway Pan Borneo Highway will be completed very soon, while the Coastal Highway and Second Trunk Road are also under construction,” he said.
Lee said this in his speech was read by Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Michael Tiang at the installation of new office bearers for the Sibu Lorry Association on Saturday (April 29).
He said his ministry had organised a lab in February which covered various angles including legal and institutional, structural, and physical as well as the Weight Restriction Order issue.
“Our first step is to convince JKR Sarawak to support Sarawak’s transporter applications for Class ‘A’ permits for vehicles over 38,000 tonnes without enforcing the requirement for them to engage certified structural engineers to assess whether the bridges, culvert or roads, of the route proposed by the transporter for its business is deemed safe since the roads, whether state or federal, were designed by JKR according to the standard specification.
“The rules and regulation under Weight Restriction for Sarawak should allow a permissible weight of up to 44 tonnes, similar to the permissible weight in Peninsular Malaysia. Certain federal roads in Sarawak should now be moved from List II to List I, which allow for higher weight,” he said.
Lee also said that the ministry has submitted its recommendation to Deputy Premier cum Minister for Infrastructure and Port Development, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.
