KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) will submit a proposal to the State Public Works Department on the permissible maximum load for lorries on Sabah roads.
Sabah CVLB chairman Dato’ Chin Kim Hiung disclosed after his meeting with Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Wee Ka Siong in parliament building recently.
Chin briefed Minister Wee on details of issues faced by commercial land transportation sector in Sabah.
Both of them also discussed several matters raised by the representatives of the sector and among it was the permissible maximum load for lorries on Sabah roads.
Minister Wee has no objection to the appeal from the Federation of Sabah Lorry Transportation Association to revise the current permissible weight from 38 tons similar to that of their counterparts in Peninsula Malaysia, which is between 52 and 54 tons.
As the weight restrictions on Sabah roads fall under the jurisdiction of the State Public Works Department, Chin said Sabah CVLB will follow up the matter with State Public Works Department (PWD) at the soonest.
Meanwhile, Chin said a higher maximum weight (load) will help to reduce the operation cost of lorry transporters which is a win-win situation as this can impact on the price of goods sold across the State.
Transportation costs can be a significant part of a company’s overall logistics spending. This cost is passed on to the consumers resulting in the price of goods continues to rise, Chin explained.
Lorry transport sector is a vital component to Sabah’s economic growth. It is a key industry in increasing the competitive power of corporations and also an important mission in revitalizing and improvement of the competitiveness of other industries, he added.
The Federation of Sabah Lorry Transportation Association represents 29,385 lorry operators and owners across the State.
The meeting with Minister Wee is the second by Chin since his appointment as Sabah CVLB chairman in May this year to resolve issues affecting commercial vehicles in Sabah including lorry transporters, taxis, school buses and passenger buses.-pr/BNN
