By DayakDaily Team
GOMBAK, Aug 20: Industry players have been urged to embrace digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the efficiency of road maintenance, optimise costs and reduce unnecessary expenditure.
Works Minister Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi said adopting innovative solutions is essential to balancing fiscal constraints while ensuring the continued upgrade and maintenance of the nation’s road infrastructure.
“We need to be more innovative and resourceful in leveraging digital technology, AI and other advanced tools. These solutions can help reduce costs while improving the efficiency of road construction and maintenance works,” he said.
He said this when commenting on the ministry’s efforts to enhance road infrastructure safety after officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a third tunnel and the widening of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway today.
Nanta stressed that road maintenance quality must remain a priority, noting that much of the country’s existing infrastructure is ageing and no longer adequately meets the demands of modern traffic, particularly heavy vehicles.
He said investments in road infrastructure upgrades and safety improvements should not be viewed merely as physical development spending, but as a critical measure to protect lives and improve road user safety.
According to him, the initiative is in line with the efforts of the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, which is formulating targeted measures to reduce fatal road accidents.
Commenting on road accident statistics, Nanta described figures released by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) as alarming.
“MIROS statistics show that 18 people lose their lives in road accidents across the country every day. This is why the government remains committed to reducing accidents and saving lives,” he said. — Bernama
