Kuala lumpur: Highways must transform from mere physical infrastructure to a safer and more efficient smart mobility ecosystem, as the number of vehicles on the road is estimated to reach six million daily across the entire highway network. Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi emphasized the necessity of this evolution at the launch of the IJM Toll Group Traffic Control Centre today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nanta stated that his ministry is committed to accelerating the implementation of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), guided by the Malaysia ITS Roadmap 2030. This roadmap includes the use of artificial intelligence, big data analytics, the Internet of Things, dynamic lane management, real-time travel information, and integrated traffic management centres.
Nanta explained that the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) will regulate and coordinate the operation of tolled highways, while the Public Works Department (JKR) will handle the development, management, and maintenance of Federal roads. The goal is to ensure the technology provides tangible benefits to the people, particularly in terms of safety, smooth traffic flow, and travel quality.
The Works Minister described the Traffic Management Centre (TMC) as the core of smart highway management, integrating traffic monitoring, incident detection, and coordination of responses with relevant parties. Through the LLM TMC, traffic conditions are monitored 24/7 via 873 closed-circuit television cameras and 278 Variable Message Signs, enabling early detection of incidents such as accidents, breakdowns, road obstructions, lane closures, and unusual congestion.
Nanta highlighted the importance of coordination between the LLM TMC and the traffic management centres of concessionaires, especially during peak hours, festive seasons, major accidents, disasters, and adverse weather conditions. He noted that traffic data can be analyzed to identify congestion patterns and high-risk locations, aiding in lane management planning, deployment of patrol teams, asset maintenance, and increasing highway capacity.
Based on data from the Malaysian Highway Road Accident Database System, 26,675 accidents were recorded on tolled highways in 2025, including 839 fatal cases. Human factors accounted for 85.4% of these accidents, while vehicle and environmental factors contributed to 14.6%. Nanta stressed that transforming highways into smart infrastructures requires cooperation between the ministry, LLM, concessionaires, enforcement agencies, emergency response teams, and technology players.
Addressing concerns over employment, Nanta assured that no highway patrol personnel would be laid off following the implementation of the Smart Highway Traffic Control Centre. Instead, the initiative aims to enhance traffic management, making it smarter, safer, and more responsive, with patrol teams able to reduce response times from over 15 minutes to between eight and 10 minutes.
Regarding the transition to the Multi-Lane Free Flow toll system, Nanta mentioned that discussions are ongoing with nearly all highway concessionaires. He also praised IJM's initiative to introduce the Virtual Reality Highway Safety Programme to raise safety awareness among students, serving as an early educational measure to prevent accidents.