LABUAN, April 30 — The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has lifted its ban on heavy vehicles on public roads during this Hari Raya festive season in this duty-free-island.
This follows an appeal from the Labuan Freight Forwarders Association (LFFA) to the MoT on April 27 through Labuan MCA chief Datuk Chin Hon Vui.
MoT Land Division under secretary Wan Mohd Asraf Wan Salleh in his reply letter to LFFA that was sighted by Bernama stated that the approval is subject to certain conditions, among them, that the vehicles’ movement should be scheduled accordingly and must not clash with private vehicles movement, especially during peak hours.
Other conditions are that heavy vehicles’ movement must take into account the safety of other road users and must comply with the existing road safety and regulations under the Road Transport Act 1987 and Land Public Transport Act 2010.
The Road Transport Department (JPJ) had announced on April 21 the ban on heavy vehicles nationwide will be from April 30 to May 2, before the Hari Raya celebration and from May 7-8 at end of the festive period.
LFFA in its appeal had stated that most of LFFA’s members and transport providers in this island are providing services to the oil and gas sector.
“Labuan is currently recovering from the COVID-19, thus servicing the oil and gas sector during this period is crucial prior to and after the Hari Raya holiday. By not allowing our transports to be on the road during this period will affect offshore operations planning.
“We understand that this ban is important to the other road users making their way back to their hometowns for the Raya celebration…however, this also a period when the oil and gas companies must complete their loading/back loading activities for offshore operations,” said its president Prunella Phoong.
