Johor sultan’s post on dented rims grabs attention of state govt

In a social media post last week, the ruler said the pothole-riddled highway caused the rims of his car to be dented.

PETALING JAYA: The Johor sultan’s complaint about the poor condition of the Pasir Gudang Highway has got the attention of the state government.

In a social media post last week, the ruler said the pothole-riddled highway caused the rims of his car to be dented.

Recounting his ride along the highway as well as from Jalan Johor to Mersing, he said the bad road conditions posed a grave danger to motorists.

Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar hoped that the federal government would provide a special allocation to repair public infrastructure and properties damaged by floods in Johor.

In response, Johor public works, transport and infrastructure committee chairman Fazli Salleh said the high volume of overloaded heavy vehicles had been identified as one of the main factors causing damage to the Pasir Gudang Highway.

He said the 38km highway was built to only accommodate 30-tonne lorries, Bernama reported.

However, he had received reports of lorries carrying loads of more than 60 tonnes frequently using the highway, which is the main route to the industrial area and port.

“Road repairs are not the only solution to frequent damage on the Pasir Gudang Expressway.

“I have met with the road transport department on this problem of heavy loads carried by lorries damaging the road,” he said during a break at the state assembly sitting today.