KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 — The government will continue building new highways and roads as part of efforts to address the country’s ongoing public transportation challenges, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said.

He explained that while improvements are being made to public transportation, new roads are necessary to support the growing number of Malaysians who rely on private vehicles.

“If you ask me, there are simply too many vehicles on the road.

“We need a proper, mature public transportation system for the public to transition into,” he said during BFM’s Breakfast Grille programme today.

He was earlier asked by the programme’s host Wong Shou Ning about the country’s need for more highways and roads.

Nanta said the Works Ministry will continue building new roads as long as a proper public transportation system is not in place.

He added that the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) should also consider scaling down car approval permits.

On the selection of road tender contracts via pre-qualification, Nanta said the process ensures that only high-quality and capable contractors are chosen.

The Kapit MP said using pre-qualified tenders can speed up procurement, allowing critical infrastructure projects to reach the construction stage faster.

“The pre-qualification prevents the tender process from being ‘too open,’ which can allow unqualified companies to engage in manipulation.

“The process is also designed to filter out contractors who lack the necessary financial strength or technical expertise, preventing project delays,” he said.

The Works Ministry has been allocated RM10.692 billion under this year’s budget, an increase of 3.3 per cent from RM10.349 billion in 2025.

The bulk of the allocation will go towards building, repairing, replacing, and upgrading roads and bridges across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

The budget also includes the construction of interchanges and flyovers.