Terengganu wants federal government to expedite construction of LPT3

The Terengganu government has called on the federal government to expedite the construction of the East Coast Expressway 3 (LPT3) to ease the travel experience for motorists from Tumpat, Kelantan and Besut, Terengganu to the East Coast Expressway 2 (LPT2).

Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said the construction of the LPT3 would also serve as an effort to reduce traffic congestion for motorists from Kampung Gemuruh in Kuala Terengganu to Besut, especially during festive seasons.

He said the construction of the LPT3, which would cover a distance of 170 kilometres, would cost RM2.4 billion.

"Basically, the construction of LPT3 had been approved by the prime minister and it is now in the stage of identifying the location and completing the design, which are being done by the relevant quarters, including the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM)," he told reporters after attending the Jerteh State Constituency's Aidilfitri Open House here today.

Also present were Jerteh assemblyman Datuk Muhamad Pehimi Yusof and Terengganu Health director Dr Mohamad Omar.

Ahmad Razif said the LLM should take proper action to have an alternative road be built from Kuala Terengganu to Besut via the LPT3, so that motorists would not have to go through the massive traffic congestion.

He said the prime minister had been informed about the massive road congestion at the Kuala Terengganu-Besut route ever since Aidilfitri last year, which saw motorists from Kampung Gemuruh, Kuala Terengganu spent four to five hours just to cover the distance of 95 kilometres to Besut.

In another development, he said the state government was also in the midst of applying for an allocation from the federal government to have the beach road from Kuala Terengganu to Besut via Penarik, Setiu, be upgraded to four lanes.

He said, at present, the construction of the four-lane beach road from Kemaman to Kuala Terengganu was almost completed, except for several areas in Kijal and Dungun.

"Upon completion, the construction will proceed to Seberang Takir, Kuala Terengganu to Besut," he added.