ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor is set to become the first in the Asia-Pacific region to use the JCB Pothole Pro, a high-tech road maintenance machine from the United Kingdom.

A Johor-based construction company that handles road works for government and semi-government projects recently purchased two units.

Priced at about RM800,000 each, the JCB Pothole Pro is designed to cut, crop and clean damaged road sections before resurfacing, enabling faster, safer and more cost-effective repairs.

The technology is expected to reduce repair times, improve the durability of road patches and enhance safety for motorists by addressing long-standing complaints of uneven and hazardous road surfaces.

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Johor Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communication Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Salleh is scheduled to officiate the launch and test-drive the 'Pothole Pro Hydradig' machines tomorrow.

He said the multifunction machine is expected to significantly improve efficiency and the quality of state road maintenance.

The construction company said the acquisition made it the first in the Asia-Pacific region to own the advanced road-repair equipment.

For years, potholes have topped the list of public grievances in Johor, often linked to poor patchwork jobs, heavy vehicles and recurring monsoon damage.

Following this year's floods, Johor authorities identified more than 800 pothole hotspots statewide and mounted a two-day blitz to patch them ahead of Aidilfitri.

Some 831 locations were permanently repaired, with 909 complaints logged during the same period.

The initiative is part of Johor's broader effort to modernise infrastructure maintenance, with state authorities expected to expand its use across districts if proven effective.