KUCHING: Sarawak Minister for Transport (MOTS) Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin is working to address the challenges and operational realities faced by lorry operators in Sarawak.

He chaired an engagement session with lorry transport stakeholders on Wednesday, bringing together government agencies and industry representatives to discuss key regulatory and operational issues affecting the commercial vehicle sector in the state.

During the session, he said that he would write to Minister of Transport Anthony Loke to address the issues faced by lorry operators in the state, and to request a meeting for direct engagement to address pressing industry concerns.

According to a statement issued by MOTS, Dato Sri Lee said the move is necessary to ensure that Sarawak’s unique geographical conditions and logistics needs are properly taken into account in the implementation of federal transport policies, particularly those affecting commercial vehicles.

He added that the Sarawak lorry industry has been facing mounting compliance pressures which require urgent attention and practical solutions.

“Among the key matters deliberated during the session were the phased implementation of Speed Limiter Devices (SLD) on commercial vehicles, the mandatory installation of Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, as well as enforcement issues related to the Weight Restriction Order (WRO).

“During the engagement, lorry operators raised concerns that only four authorised SLD installation agents are currently operating in Sarawak, which may not be sufficient to cater to the large number of commercial lorries across the state.

“Given Sarawak’s vast geographical coverage, operators expressed concern that installations may not be completed within the timeline stipulated by the Federal Government,” the statement said.

The MOTS Minister also expressed understanding for the concerns raised and agreed that Sarawak requires a more flexible and practical implementation approach.

He noted that the number of authorised SLD agents should be increased, preferably with broader distribution across Sarawak’s divisions to facilitate smoother implementation and fair competition.

He added that efforts to arrange a meeting with the Federal Transport Minister had already been initiated since last month, but scheduling constraints had so far prevented it from taking place.

Separately, the session also touched on issues relating to lorry load limits and road infrastructure capacity.

Dato Sri Lee welcomed ongoing coordination with the Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR), Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development Sarawak (MIPD) and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) Sarawak on road classifications, including proposals involving R5 roads and their upgrading or reclassification under List 1, to better align infrastructure standards with commercial vehicle operations and enforcement requirements.

Also present at the engagement session were Kota Sentosa Assemblyman Wilfred Yap Yau Sin, Bukit Assek Assemblyman Joseph Chieng Jin Ek, MOTS Permanent Secretary Datu Wong Hee Sieng, CVLB Sarawak Director Cornelia Wong Chui and MIPD Head of Infrastructure and Project Coordination Division Ts. Chang Chee Kiong.

The session also included representatives from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Sarawak, CVLB Sarawak, PUSPAKOM Sarawak Sdn Bhd, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), as well as industry associations such as the Federation of Sarawak Lorry Association, Sarawak Lorries Transportation Association, Sarawak Forwarding Agencies Association, and the Sibu Automobile Repairers Association. -UKASnews