East-West Highway upgrades will be prioritised in Budget 2026, Gerik-Jeli stretch in focus – Nanta

East-West Highway upgrades will be prioritised in Budget 2026, Gerik-Jeli stretch in focus – Nanta

The East-West Highway, in particular with the Gerik-Jeli stretch, is among the key priorities for the works ministry under the upcoming Budget 2026 that will be tabled later this year, works minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi has said, reported Bernama.

The works ministry had submitted a request for funding to upgrade several sections of the route, Nanta said, citing urgent safety needs. The exact allocation will however depend on the government’s final decision, according to the report.

“It’s not a special allocation. We have included it under regular funding requests for the highway,” the works minister said. A total of 385 solar-powered streetlights had been installed in high-risk areas and dangerous bends – commonly known as black spots – along the East-West Highway as part of ongoing safety measures, he said.

These upgrades will not be for entire highway, but only for critical sections identified through assessments by the works ministry, Nanta added.

The stretch of the East-West Highway near Gerik was thrust into the limelight recently when a bus crash claimed the lives of 15 students. A preliminary report that emerged last month found that the bus reached 117.6 km/h, and excessive speed was among other factors in the incident.

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Mick Chan

Open roads and closed circuits hold great allure for Mick Chan. Driving heaven to him is exercising a playful chassis on twisty paths; prizes ergonomics and involvement over gadgetry. Spent three years at a motoring newspaper and short stint with a magazine prior to joining this website.

 

Comments

  • Trojan horses on rampage with no respect of laws on Aug 15, 2025 at 8:01 pm

    Our menteri is only doing DAMAGE CONTROL after 15 lives perished due to a rogue driver who is still out ,on bail.
    All the resurfacing,solar panel street lighting etc should be done earlier.
    Now,with monsoons by Nov…resurgent water logged potholes will appear n kill innocent bikers.
    After 68 years of Independence by Aug 31,we r still playing the DAMAGE CONTROL game.
    PMX,voters might not be so kind in coming GE16.Somemore,with so many Trojan horses joining forces with the Greenies in Penang,all hell is breaking loose.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Rosli on Aug 16, 2025 at 11:53 am

    East Coast of Semenanjung Malaysia needs a big injection of infrastructure development. Many key roads are not completed yet which have been on the plan and construction some already running into decades long. CSR highway, LPT3, are just a few highways needed to bring up the East Coast states into comparable economic development with its Northern and Western States.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Timbalan Presiden binti Presiden on Aug 17, 2025 at 1:43 pm

    Anwar menang rakyat senang

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
 

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