KUCHING: The Sarawak Government will seek direct federal engagement to address mounting operational and regulatory challenges faced by lorry operators across the state’s vast and complex transport landscape.
The move comes amid growing concerns that federal transport policies affecting commercial vehicles may not adequately reflect Sarawak’s unique geography, logistics demands and infrastructure realities.
Sarawak Minister for Transport, Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin, said he will write to federal Transport Minister, Anthony Loke Siew Fook, to formally request a meeting on pressing industry concerns.
“It is important that Sarawak’s on-the-ground conditions are properly considered when implementing federal transport regulations, especially those impacting our commercial vehicle operators,” he added.
Lee said lorry operators in Sarawak are facing increasing compliance pressures, necessitating practical solutions that balance road safety objectives with operational feasibility for the industry.
To consolidate industry feedback, Lee chaired a Lorry Transport Stakeholder Engagement Session involving government agencies and industry representatives from across Sarawak.
Key issues discussed included the phased implementation of Speed Limiter Devices (SLD), mandatory Global Positioning System (GPS) installations, and enforcement of the Weight Restriction Order (WRO).
During the session today (Feb 5), operators highlighted that only four authorised SLD installation agents are currently operating in Sarawak, raising concerns over capacity and accessibility.
“With Sarawak’s vast geographical coverage, there is a genuine risk that installations may not be completed within the stipulated timeline,” Lee said.
Industry players also warned that limited authorised agents could result in restricted choices, monopolistic practices and increased compliance costs for lorry operators.
“We agree that the number of authorised SLD agents should be increased and distributed more evenly across Sarawak to ensure fair competition and smoother implementation,” Lee reiterated.
Lee said efforts to arrange a meeting with Loke had already begun last month, although scheduling constraints delayed the engagement.
The session also addressed issues related to lorry load limits, road classifications and infrastructure capacity throughout Sarawak’s transport network.
Lee welcomed ongoing coordination with the Public Works Department (PWD) Sarawak, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development, and CVLB Sarawak on road classification proposals.
“Aligning infrastructure standards with enforcement requirements is essential to ensure regulations are realistic, effective and fair,” he said.
The engagement was attended by representatives from Road Transport Department (RTD) Sarawak, Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) Sarawak, PUSPAKOM, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and several transport and logistics industry associations.
