ARE RUBBERISED ROADS THE BEST OPTION?

ARMAN AHMAD

LAccording to a report by Bernama recently, the 1km segment of Jalan Utama Kampung Sungai Kerawai on the outskirts of town was opened by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong.

Mah said although the cost of building the rubberised road was 15 to 20 per cent more expensive than conventional roads, it would last longer and would also be significantly quieter.

An earlier report by Bernama stated that by year-end, Malaysia would have 28km of rubberised roads for commercial evaluation, including the Kampung Sungai Kerawai stretch.

Rubberised roads can reduce the road noise level by three to five decibels. There is also good resistance to high temperature and crack formation.

Conventional roads have to be resurfaced after four or five years as potholes, cracks and warps may appear. By using rubber-modified bitumen, the “cycle of maintenance” of roads can be extended to between eight and 10 years, said the Bernama report.

The use of rubber to pave roads is partly a bid to boost domestic consumption of the commodity.

Earlier this year, Mah was quoted as saying that the move would help shore up the commodity battered by falling prices.

“We need to support our smallholders, who may otherwise shift away from planting natural rubber due to weak prices.”

Mah revealed that his ministry had been directed to build rubberised roads to alleviate concern on the people’s livelihood, especially smallholders.

“There are about one million smallholders in the country (550,00 in the palm oil industry, 440,000 in the rubber industry and 60,000 in the pepper industry).

He added that the government was working hard to ensure good prices and sustainable demand for palm oil and rubber.

Domestic consumption of rubber is expected to increase by 10 per cent annually as approximately 4.2 tonnes of coagulated rubber will be needed for each kilometre of road built using CMB.

Rubberised roads are not entirely new. They have been used in America since the 1960s and are known for durability.

Thailand, a major producer of rubber, has recently embarked on a large-scale effort to build rubberised roads.

In an article in the Rubber Journal Asia in August, Thai officials claimed that rubberised roads are cost effective in the long term.

According to Thailand’s Department of Rural Roads, 7,000 tonnes of latex had been used for road construction this year, the report said.

The volume of rubber used was worth more than 358 million baht (RM45 million). Since 2013, it was reported that more than 22,000 tonnes of raw latex, worth more than 1 billion baht, had been used for road construction and repairs.

Given the benefits that this type of road can bring, it seems pertinent to explore its usage in Malaysia.

It may be an example of how technology can benefit people - in this case, road users and smallholders - as well as the rubber industry.