As Malaysia continues to grapple with deteriorating road conditions, road safety experts are urging the government to introduce higher taxes on heavy vehicles to offset rising maintenance costs.
Professor Dr Law Teik Hua from Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Road Safety Research Centre highlighted the toll that large trucks and trailers take on road infrastructure. He suggested that higher taxation on such vehicles could help finance the Works Ministry’s RM4 billion annual expenditure on road maintenance.
“This group of vehicles contributes significantly to road damage. By reallocating funds collected through targeted taxation, the government can ease its maintenance burden,” he explained in an interview with Free Malaysia Today.
Dr Law, however, cautioned that any increase in taxation must be accompanied by strict enforcement mechanisms. He recommended the installation of weigh-in-motion systems at key entry points to detect overloaded vehicles and urged that the costs not be transferred to consumers through higher prices.
To strengthen enforcement, Dr Law also proposed the implementation of harsher penalties for repeat offenders, such as licence suspensions. He advocated a “polluter pays” approach, where companies responsible for excessive wear on roads contribute directly to repair efforts.
His proposals include the creation of a blacklist for transport operators with repeated violations, clear guidelines for the use of funds collected, and tax incentives to encourage compliance within the industry.
In support of similar reforms, Wan Agyl Wan Hassan, founder of the transport policy group My Mobility Vision, called for the introduction of a road-use tax or a special levy for heavy commercial vehicles. He cited models from Germany, Switzerland, and New Zealand, where vehicle taxes are calculated based on weight and mileage.
Wan Agyl stressed that revenue from such charges should be directed into a dedicated road maintenance fund under the Works Ministry’s control, rather than the federal consolidated fund. He also recommended channeling fines from overloading offences directly into the same fund to ensure that financial penalties support infrastructure repairs.
“This isn’t about punishing the transport sector. It’s about accountability and sustainability. The current system allows roads to deteriorate while the general public bears the financial burden through broader taxation,” he said.
The urgency of the matter was underscored by a recent statement from the Works Ministry, which admitted it lacks the financial resources to repair key high-risk routes, including the East-West Highway. Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi acknowledged that overloaded heavy vehicles are among the leading causes of potholes and road damage nationwide.
As debate around road funding continues, experts and policymakers agree that a new financial model—one that ensures those who cause road damage contribute fairly to its repair—is essential to preserving Malaysia’s infrastructure.
