AYER HITAM: The upgrading works on the FT050 (Jalan Batu Pahat-Ayer Hitam-Kluang) road is hoped to be able to reduce the high number of road accidents here.

       Senior Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said that the FT050 federal road has been identified as a road with one of the highest frequencies of road accidents in the country.

       "The upgrading works are not only to provide road users with better comfort and reduce congestion, but to also reduce road accidents, particularly those involving deaths on the road.

       "Based on a study, we found that of the 405 road accidents that took place on the FT050 road between 2015 and last year, 227 of them were fatal deaths. This shows the importance of upgrading the road," he said.

       The Works Minister said this in a press conference after the groundbreaking ceremony of the FT050 road here on Thursday (Nov 11).

       Fadillah said that a total of RM250mil has been allocated for the project, which is expected to be completed in three years.

       Meanwhile, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said that upgrading works of the road could solve the problem of high road accidents rate once and for all.

       "Almost every month, we would hear about an accident taking place on the FT050 road, including those involving deaths.

       "The upgrading work is necessary to solve this problem once and for all," he said.

       Dr Wee, who is also Ayer Hitam MP also expressed hope from another busy federal road under his constituency, the FT01 (Jalan Ayer Hitam-Chaah) to also be looked into for improvement works.

       "The stretch of road on FT01 from Gemas to Segamat has been upgraded previously, and the upgrade works were later extended to Chaah.

       "However, from Chaah to here (Ayer Hitam), the road is very uneven and is in need of some improvement. I hope that this would also be focused on," he said.