THE government’s announcement of a new road that will be constructed from Habu to Tanah Rata in Cameron Highlands will help reduce traffic congestion in the popular highland resort town.

Pahang Unity, Tourism and Culture Committee chairman Leong Yu Man said the project would draw benefits for the tourism industry in the area.

“Congestion (in Cameron Highlands) occurs on weekends and during the school holidays as it is a popular tourist hotspot and this issue has been going on for a while.

“The construction of a new road is a win-win solution not only for tourists and residents, but also in terms of food supply chain logistics because vegetable farming is the main source of income for Cameron Highlands folks,” she said when contacted in Kuantan today.

Leong said this when asked to comment on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement on the construction of a new road from Habu to Tanah Rata at a cost of RM480 million, when presenting Budget 2023 at the Dewan Rakyat on Friday.

Tanah Rata assemblyman Ho Chi Yang hoped that the implementation of the project would take environmental factors into consideration.

“I hope that an in-depth study has been carried out and that construction will only have a minimal impact on the environment and maintain its sustainability,” he said.

Abdul Hadi Harun, 30, a rental car operator in Cameron Highlands, hoped that when the road is ready, it would bring added value to the district and ensure that it remained a popular travel destination.

According to him, this will also improve the local economy, which is strongly reliant on the presence of tourists.

“These days some choose not to visit Cameron Highlands during certain times such as school holidays because they don’t want to spend too much time stuck in traffic.

“We definitely want to see as many tourists as possible in Cameron Highlands. The construction of the new road will provide users with an alternative,” he said. – Bernama, February 26, 2023.