Cup Lump Modified Asphalt uses local rubber, offering longer-lasting roads and economic benefits for smallholders, with 216km already paved.
KUALA LUMPUR: The adoption of Cup Lump Modified Asphalt (CMA) technology could significantly increase demand for Malaysian rubber and create economic opportunities for smallholders.
Deputy Minister of Works Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the technology mixes frozen rubber, known as cup lump, into asphalt for road construction.
He stated that each kilometre of CMA pavement uses five tonnes of the frozen rubber material.
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“I agree that this technology should be implemented on a larger scale across the country to help rubber smallholders and the rubber industry,” he told the Dewan Rakyat.
Ahmad was responding to a question about CMA’s effectiveness as an alternative paving technology.
He revealed that 216.8 kilometres of CMA pavement have been laid on federal roads from 2018 to 2025.
This was implemented through 142 work orders by Federal Road Concession companies in Peninsular Malaysia.
A 38-month evaluation at four federal locations showed satisfactory performance regarding rut formation and crack resistance.
“The result proves that this material has great potential for use in road construction,” he added.
The technology was developed by the Malaysian Rubber Board and evaluated by the Public Works Department.
Studies indicate CMA pavements can last up to five years, which is twice as long as standard bitumen surfaces.
The government is currently assessing three local technologies for wider roadwork application.
These are CMA, Petronas’s Modified Binder using recycled plastic, and Crumb Rubber Modified Asphalt (CRMA) from used tyres.
Ahmad said this initiative drives local innovation and aids environmental conservation through recycled and natural materials. – Bernama
