KUALA LUMPUR (June 18): UEM Edgenta Bhd, through its expressway and roads maintenance division, Edgenta Infrastructure Services, has invested about RM20 million in new mechanised vehicles to further advance its operational excellence, as well as modernise its service offerings and delivery.

Managing director/chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Merican said the vehicles included a mechanised grass cutter, 10 units of mechanical road sweepers, an impact protection vehicle and an automated remote slope grass mower.

"Each of these machinery is intended not only to provide efficiency to the work process, but also the safety of the expressway users," he told reporters here today.

He said this after the launch of the modernisation vehicles and signing ceremony of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UEM Edgenta, Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) and Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia which was witnessed by Works Minister Baru Bian.

UEM Edgenta is a leading asset management and infrastructure solutions company.

Azmir said the MoU was aimed at establishing new industry standards focusing on safer work conditions for expressway maintenance workers, as well as to protect the safety of road users.

"Each of the MoU signatories would contribute to the partnership based on their respective expertise spanning operational, regulatory and training, and when combined will positively impact, as well as further advance highway safety standards," he said.

UEM Edgenta chief operating officer Graeme Walwyn said all the machines had been tested and will be fully utilised as early as tomorrow, as the company had already received the approval from the MHA.

"As the subject matter expert in expressway maintenance, UEM Edgenta continues to pave the way by progressively adopting and improvising its services through innovation and technology.

"Automating and mechanising their service offerings is UEM Edgenta’s promise to enhance safety and efficiency, which is aligned with the national agenda for Industry 4.0," he said.

Meanwhile, MHA director-general Datuk Aziz Abdullah said the maintenance cost of highways in Malaysia was estimated to reduce about 10% with the use of those machines.

"At the moment, the maintenance cost of highways for the entire nation stands at RM2 billion yearly," he added. — Bernama