Malaysia is on track for 75% of all its high volume roads to have a 3-star or better rating by 2020.

The good news was announced at the launch of the 2017 Malaysia iRAP report which revealed that more than 95% of 2,370km of assessed stretches of four Malaysian inter-urban expressways in peninsular Malaysia had been awarded 3-star or better ratings.

A total of 65 locations along the assessed network had been improved by April 2017 following last year’s Malaysian Government commitment to achieve 75% of travel at a 3-star or better performance level on the country’s high volume road network by 2020. The assessment was led by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (MIROS), which is an iRAP Centre of Excellence, with financial assistance from Shell.

A further 4,000km has been assessed in peninsular Malaysia and MIROS teams will begin road assessments in Sarawak later this year and in Sabah in 2018. The assessments will include urban highways, federal roads and state roads.

The results were announced by the Malaysian Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, at the 10th anniversary ceremony of MIROS in Kuala Lumpur which was attended by MIROS’ chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye and director-general Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon.

The Minister said: ‘I am sincerely grateful to the various government and private agencies who see the iRAP programme as being a national priority and who have put a tremendous commitment into making it a success.’

iRAP CEO Rob McInerney said: ‘This is tremendous news. Malaysia is truly a leader in the region and the world. Many lives will be saved in Malaysia with every road that is improved to a 3-star or better standard for all road users.’