Highway construction drives economic growth, says LLM

 The Malaysian Highway Authority says construction of highways creates jobs and business opportunities while supporting supply chains.

LLM director-general Hadzmir Yusoff said the demand for highways remained high due to the increasing number of vehicles and congestion on urban road networks. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR:

 The construction of highways continues to play an important role in stimulating economic growth through job creation, support for supply chains, and business opportunities, according to the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM).

LLM director-general Hadzmir Yusoff said from a construction aspect, highway projects provide job opportunities for contractors, while stimulating the supply chain and the use of local manpower.

“Once a highway is completed, facilities such as rest areas are provided, which in turn open up opportunities for traders to conduct business.

“This indirectly expands economic activities and contributes to national economic growth,” he told Bernama on the sidelines of the “Needs & Challenges of Urban Highway Construction” programme.

Hadzmir said the demand for highways remained high due to the increasing number of vehicles and congestion on urban road networks.

“Urban highways are still important. We find that some city roads are quite congested, and traffic volume is high. LLM monitors daily traffic volumes of around 5.5 million to six million.

“Last year, we registered about 600,000 new vehicles. Where will these vehicles go if we do not build new highways?” he asked.

At the same time, he acknowledged that highway construction does not solve congestion over the long term, and that what is needed is public transport support.

“It is true that in the long term, even when we build highways, congestion may still occur. Therefore, we hope users will also use public transport such as LRT and MRT to reduce congestion.”

Separately, IJM Corporation Bhd toll division CEO Chua Lay Hoon said while some believe building more highways does not solve congestion, it is important to remember that Malaysians still tend to rely on private vehicles.

“With the continuous increase in the number of vehicles on the road, the lack of infrastructure improvements could lead to more severe congestion levels.

“Therefore, highway development is not only aimed at meeting current user demand. It also supports broader economic and social development,” she said. - FMT