KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia’s transportation laws, anchored by statutes such as the Road Transport Act 1987 and the Land Public Transport Act 2010, aim to ensure safety, efficiency, and equitable access across the nation. However, the implementation of these laws in Sabah reveals a stark contrast between federal frameworks and on-ground realities. The state’s unique geographical, economic, and infrastructural conditions amplify systemic weaknesses, creating a complex web of challenges that undermine legal compliance, public safety, and economic growth.
The legislative framework and its regional disparities
Malaysia’s transportation legislation is designed to be uniformly applicable across all states, including Sabah. Laws governing road safety, vehicle standards, and public transport licensing are enforced by federal bodies such as the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB). Yet, Sabah’s distinct topography-spanning dense rainforests, mountainous terrain, and scattered rural communities-complicates adherence to national standards. For instance, the Road Transport Act’s requirements for regular vehicle inspections are inconsistently enforced in remote areas, where access to JPJ facilities is limited. This disparity is compounded by Sabah’s reliance on ageing vehicle fleets, particularly in rural regions, where financial constraints often prioritise affordability over compliance.
Infrastructure deficiencies and compliance barriers
Sabah’s infrastructure gaps are among the most severe in Malaysia, directly contravening the objectives of national transport policies. The Pan Borneo Highway, touted as a transformative project for East Malaysia, remains plagued by delays, with Phase 1 now projected for completion by 2029. These delays, mainly due to land acquisition and utility relocation issues, perpetuate reliance on dilapidated roads, which are ill-equipped to handle heavy freight traffic or monsoon seasons. Potholes, insufficient drainage, and collapsing road shoulders are ubiquitous, contributing to accidents such as the 2025 Lido tragedy, where a motorcyclist died after hitting a waterlogged pothole. Poor road conditions make it difficult for vehicles to remain roadworthy, directly undermining compliance with safety regulations.
The economic repercussions are profound. Sabah’s logistics costs are estimated to be around 30% higher than the national average due to detours, vehicle damage, and delays in cargo movement. This figure is based on industry estimates and may vary depending on the specific sector and region. The state’s agricultural and tourism sectors, which contribute significantly to its GDP, suffer from unreliable transport networks. Perishable goods from Sabah’s interior often spoil before reaching ports, while tourists face hour-long delays on routes like the Tamparuli-Ranau road. These inefficiencies deter investment, stifling Sabah’s potential to transition from a resource-based economy to a diversified industrial hub.
Enforcement hurdles and systemic non-compliance
Enforcement of transportation laws in Sabah is hindered by logistical and resource constraints. JPJ operations are concentrated in urban centres like Kota Kinabalu, leaving vast rural areas under-policed. During peak travel periods, such as festive seasons, Sabah JPJ deploys mobile units and undercover officers to monitor compliance. However, these efforts are reactive and fail to address chronic issues like overloaded lorries or unlicensed drivers.
A persistent challenge is the regulation of heavy vehicles. Despite federal laws mandating load limits and periodic inspections, overloaded lorries routinely damage Sabah’s roads. The state’s reliance on road transport for over 95% of its cargo exacerbates this issue, with enforcement agencies struggling to balance economic needs against infrastructure preservation. Proposed solutions, such as the “2Ps Strategy” (monitoring logistics companies and penalising overloading), have seen limited success due to corruption and weak oversight.
Common traffic offences-including driving without a valid licence, expired road tax, and lack of insurance-are widespread. Commercial vehicles often operate without vocational licences, reflecting both awareness gaps and difficulties in accessing licensing services, particularly in rural areas. While enforcement campaigns like roadblocks and festive season crackdowns yield temporary improvements, systemic non-compliance persists due to limited manpower and year-round enforcement capacity.
Public transport collapse and social inequity
Kota Kinabalu’s public transport system exemplifies the collapse of legal frameworks in practice. Despite federal guidelines promoting integrated transit networks, the city relies on informal minibus services and unregulated e-hailing operators. The 2025 Death of Public Transport in Kota Kinabalu study highlights how decades of policy neglect have eroded formal bus services, leaving only 3% of residents using public transport. This failure disproportionately affects low-income communities, who spend up to 40% of their income on private transport.
Proposed reforms, such as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and the Kota Kinabalu Integrated Public Transport Terminal, remain unimplemented due to bureaucratic inertia and funding misallocation. In contrast, road-widening projects receive priority, perpetuating a cycle of car dependency and congestion. The absence of enforceable standards for minibus operators further compounds safety risks, with many vehicles operating without valid permits or insurance.
Funding shortfalls and governance fragmentation
Sabah’s transportation woes are inextricably linked to chronic underfunding. The state’s 2025 budget allocated RM424 million for road upgrades-less than a quarter of the RM1.8 billion required for basic repairs. This shortfall forces Sabah to rely on federal grants, which are often delayed or earmarked for politically expedient projects. Maintenance responsibilities, outsourced to concessionaires, suffer from poor accountability, with contractors frequently accused of substandard repairs.
The Sapangar Bay Container Port expansion illustrates this funding-implementation gap. While the port’s capacity is set to increase to 1.25 million TEUs by 2025, its potential as a regional transshipment hub is undermined by inadequate road and rail connections. Federal-state disputes over funding allocation further stall critical projects, leaving Sabah’s infrastructure fragmented and inefficient.
Towards integrated solutions: Accountability and investment
Addressing Sabah’s transportation challenges requires a paradigm shift from ad hoc fixes to integrated planning. The proposed Sabah Transport Masterplan (STM), aligned with the National Transport Policy 2019–2030, advocates for a multimodal approach combining road, rail, air, and maritime networks.
Key recommendations include: Reviving rail networks: Upgrading the North Borneo Railway to connect industrial zones with ports, reducing freight dependency on roads.
Smart mobility integration: Implementing real-time traffic management and digital ticketing systems to enhance public transport efficiency.
Strengthening governance: Establishing the Kota Kinabalu Urban Mobility Authority (KKUMA) to centralise planning and enforcement, ending jurisdictional overlaps between federal and state agencies.
Community engagement is equally critical. The Lido pothole protests, where residents marked hazards with white paint, underscore the public’s demand for participatory governance. Lessons from Singapore’s MRT and Bangkok’s BRT systems demonstrate that inclusive policymaking-incorporating grassroots feedback-can yield sustainable solutions.
The case for urgent government action
The people of Sabah, especially those who rely on the Tamparuli-Ranau route for work, education, tourism, and basic mobility, deserve better. For decades, the region has endured perennial traffic congestion, unsafe roads, and unreliable public transport. The frustration voiced by Sabahans-families stranded for hours, bus passengers forced to disembark mid-journey, and businesses losing productivity reflects a long-ignored crisis. The government’s pattern of offering temporary solutions, such as deploying traffic police during festive seasons or issuing vague promises of future upgrades, is no longer acceptable.
What is needed is not another committee or press statement, but a Special Task Force for Road Congestion and Transport Infrastructure, established under the Chief Minister’s Office and coordinated with federal ministries. This task force must be mandated to conduct a comprehensive transport audit, design a phased infrastructure development plan, coordinate federal funding, engage civil society, and ensure public accountability through transparent reporting.
A call to heed Sabah’s plight
Sabah’s transportation challenges are a microcosm of Malaysia’s broader struggle to reconcile national legislation with regional realities. While federal laws provide a robust framework, their implementation in Sabah is undermined by infrastructural neglect, funding inequities, and governance fragmentation. The state’s path to prosperity hinges on transcending tokenistic projects and embracing holistic reforms. By prioritising integrated masterplans, stringent enforcement, and community-led initiatives, Sabah can transform its transportation system from a bottleneck into a catalyst for inclusive growth. The stakes extend beyond economics: as safe and accessible transport is a fundamental right, not a privilege.
The federal and state governments must now act decisively. The time for promises and piecemeal interventions has passed-what Sabah needs is sustained, transparent, and adequately funded action, with the political will to see it through to completion. Only then can Sabah’s people and economy realise their full potential, and Malaysia as a whole move closer to genuine national unity and shared prosperity.
