150km/h Malaysian Speed Limits? No Chance, Says DEP Works Minister

If you’ve had any such hopes on the government increasing the national speed limit of 110km/h applicable to most highways, you’re in for a bit of a disappointment.

Thursday’s Dewan Rakyat meet saw one Mohd Imran Abdul Hamid of the PKR party quiz Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Shirlin on why the national speed limit could not be raised to 150km/h, given the “high-quality” of vehicles on the road these days.

Imran further proposed that the left lanes be maintained at 110km/h, the middle lane be between 110km/h to 130km/h, while the overtaking/ right-most lane be set to 130km/h to 150km/h.

According to a report from The Star, Imran continued, “"I have experienced living in a developed nation, Germany, for 30 months, and their highway, the Autobahn, had no speed limits.

“They had all sorts of quality cars such as Mercedes, Porsche, BMW just like our country.

"But I don’t understand why we can’t increase the speed limit based on the cars’ needs. I actually sympathise with them.”

Imran was met with the Deputy Works Minister’s response, which came down like a harsh hammer of reality on all of the nation’s 'autobahn' aspirations.

Rosnah commented that the national speed limit is set as such in accordance with the road’s design, something that cannot be changed, and that it was “public knowledge” that a faster a car is, the higher its risk grows to be more accident prone.

She went on to comment on the high number of accidents, fatal, major and minor, over the past years.

Well, as a motoring journalist, it’s our duty to advocate nothing other than safe driving for all, and we wholeheartedly agree with the deputy works minister who also told any wannabe speedsters to save it for the track.

We do disagree, however, with the claimed “public knowledge” of faster cars being more dangerous. I’d personally much rather put my life on the line, if it were legal, at 150km/h on a highway (if that’s putting your life on the line is) in a Volkswagen Golf R, than in a Perodua Myvi. No offence to the Myvi, though. Brilliant little car.

What do you think? Maintain 110km/h? Or up to 150km/h? Discuss!