Minister to raise Sarawak lorry issues with federal Transport Ministry, seek practical solutions

Lee chairing the Lorry Transport Stakeholder Engagement Session at his office on Feb 4, 2026.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Feb 5: Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin will raise the State’s lorry industry challenges, including the implementation of Speed Limiter Devices (SLD) and Global Positioning System (GPS) installations, with the federal Transport Ministry to seek solutions tailored to Sarawak’s unique logistical landscape.

The minister said he will write to his federal counterpart, Minister of Transport Anthony Loke, to highlight operational realities faced by lorry operators and request a meeting for direct engagement to address pressing industry concerns.

“Given Sarawak’s vast geography and logistics needs, it is crucial that federal transport policies take our local conditions into account. The lorry industry is under mounting compliance pressures that require urgent and practical solutions,” he said in a statement today.

Yesterday (Feb 4), Lee chaired a Lorry Transport Stakeholder Engagement Session, bringing together government agencies and industry representatives to discuss key regulatory and operational issues affecting the commercial vehicle sector.

Among the topics discussed were the phased implementation of SLDs, mandatory GPS installations, and enforcement issues related to the Weight Restriction Order (WRO).

Operators at the session raised concerns that only four authorised SLD installation agents are currently operating in Sarawak, which may be insufficient to service the large number of commercial vehicles across the state.

They also warned that the limited number of agents could result in monopolistic practices, higher compliance costs, and delayed installations that may not meet federal deadlines.

Acknowledging these concerns, Lee said Sarawak requires a more flexible and practical approach, including increasing the number of SLD agents and ensuring broader distribution across the state for smoother implementation and fair competition.

He noted that efforts to arrange a meeting with the federal Transport Minister had been underway since last month but scheduling constraints had so far delayed it.

The session also covered lorry load limits and road infrastructure capacity. The minister welcomed continued coordination with the Public Works Department Sarawak (JKR), Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD) Sarawak, and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) Sarawak on road classifications, including proposals to upgrade certain R5 roads to List 1 to better align infrastructure with commercial vehicle operations and enforcement requirements.

The engagement session saw participation from JPJ Sarawak, Puspakam Sarawak, MIROS, police, and industry associations including the Federation of Sarawak Lorry Association, Sarawak Lorries Transportation Association, Sarawak Forwarding Agencies Association, and Sibu Automobile Repairers Association.

The Ministry of Transport Sarawak reiterated its commitment to safeguarding road safety while ensuring that policy implementation remains practical, fair, and reflective of the realities faced by Sarawak’s commercial vehicle operators.

Also present were Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap, Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng Jin Eik, permanent secretary to the Sarawak Ministry of Transport Datu Wong Hee Sieng, CVLB Sarawak director Cornelia Wong Chui, and head of Infrastructure and Project Coordination Division, MIPD Sarawak Ts. Chang Chee Kiong. — DayakDaily