Transport Ministry explores ANPR to cut highway congestion and modernise enforcement in Malaysia
PUTRAJAYA: Physical roadblocks that turn six highway lanes into one may soon be a thing of the past, as the Transport Ministry considers deploying automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to reduce congestion and improve enforcement efficiency.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke (pic) said traditional roadblocks often result in severe traffic bottlenecks when multiple lanes are narrowed into one, frustrating motorists who have already passed toll plazas.
“Six lanes become one lane, and people get angry. This is an old approach,” Loke said, adding that enforcement agencies must adopt smarter, technology-driven methods.
Loke was speaking at the ministry’s 2026 New Year Policy Address here today.
He said the Transport Ministry is pushing for stronger integration of government data and systems to enable smarter, non-intrusive enforcement, in line with the “whole-of-government” approach championed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“In the context of government integration, information and data must be integrated so that we can ultimately achieve a smart government, where services and enforcement can be coordinated,” Loke said.
As an example, he said the ministry recently held discussions with the management of PLUS Malaysia Bhd, the operator of the North–South Expressway, on strategic co-operation involving data sharing and system integration.
Under the proposed framework, vehicles entering highways would have their registration numbers captured automatically via ANPR cameras installed at toll plazas. The data could then be linked directly to RTD’s MySikap system.
“The moment a vehicle enters the toll plaza, we will know whether it exceeds load limits, whether road tax has been paid, whether there is valid insurance, or whether it is a stolen or cloned vehicle,” he said.
Loke said such integration would allow enforcement actions to be carried out digitally without stopping vehicles, reducing congestion while improving compliance.
“There is no need to issue summonses on the spot.
“The data is already there — enforcement can be done without disrupting traffic,” he said.
He added that while RTD already has its own ANPR enforcement projects, greater effectiveness can be achieved by integrating these systems with highway operators rather than developing separate platforms.
“If the system already exists, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We integrate,” he said, adding that while PLUS currently uses ANPR mainly for toll collection, the technology could be expanded for enforcement purposes.
Loke said traditional roadblocks were necessary in the past due to limited technology, but such methods are no longer efficient.
“Previously, we had to check vehicles one by one. But with today’s technology, checks can be done through cameras,” he said.
Responding to a question on which highway operators are involved, Loke said discussions have so far taken place with PLUS, which he described as a suitable starting point due to its scale.
“PLUS alone is already large enough. It connects the country from north to south and handles millions of vehicles every day,” he said, adding that other highway operators are expected to follow once the system is implemented.
