PETALING JAYA: The Association of Malaysian Hauliers (AMH) expresses concern over the delay in the opening of Section 3 of the West Coast Expressway (WCE) and highlights hauling costs rising due to only relying on existing routes that are becoming congested.

The delay at the Shah Alam Expressway (SAE) Interchange to the Federal Highway Route 2 Interchange (Klang/Shah Alam) is being hampered by land acquisition issues in Kampung Jawa.

AMH executive secretary Mohamad Azuan Masud said this delay has directly impacted the operations of over 10,000 units of prime movers and trailers belonging to association members, who are now forced to rely on increasingly congested existing routes.

He noted that the situation not only prolongs travel time but also raises fuel and vehicle maintenance costs, while disrupting delivery schedules.

“WCE is a strategic infrastructure project designed to facilitate smoother logistics along the West Coast.

“This delay significantly affects transport operators, especially those requiring swift access to and from Port Klang,” he said in a statement yesterday.

This section is a critical route on the WCE that’s expected to ease congestion along federal roads, the Federal Highway, the North Klang Valley Expressway and the SAE, and help ease commercial vehicle movements from industrial zones to Port Klang.

While acknowledging the complexities involved in land acquisition, he stressed that all parties must urgently seek a resolution in the interest of national economic priorities.

The hauliers association urged the relevant authorities, including the Works Ministry, the Selangor state government, the Malaysian Highway Authority and the concessionaire company to expedite efforts in resolving the land issue, so that the project can be completed.

The association also reaffirmed its commitment to working with government agencies and industry stakeholders to mitigate the impact of the delay and ensure the continued competitiveness of the national logistics and transport sector.