In today's frenetic pace of life, it will do one the world of good to opt for the slow lane now and then, literally speaking.

Granted, Malaysia's tolled highways have slashed travelling time but the scenery is mostly boring and even sleep-inducing.

On the other hand, the narrower and sometimes meandering trunk roads that connect the towns throughout the peninsula affords sights that are a feast for sore eyes.

Idyllic kampungs set amidst swaying coconut palms and shady casuarina trees, vast expanses of padi fields, rolling hills and mountains and verdant jungles can provide for endless hours of scenic driving experiences.

The Works Ministry is on a mission to enhance the image of the federal trunk (FT) roads - built and maintained by the federal government - and popularise these old roadways.

As the safety of these roads has been a major concern among road users given that they are mostly single carriageways, the matter is being looked into by the ministry and, more specifically, by the Public Works Department (PWD).

Beginning last year, the ministry has been organising a series of trips, dubbed FTRoadpedia, on the trunk roads for its key staff to monitor the conditions of the less travelled roads and evaluate road upgrading projects that are currently underway.

The first such trip, held sometime last year, covered Perak while the second FTRoadpedia earlier this year took the team to the east coast states.

CREATING BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS

The third FTRoadpedia, from May 7 to 9 and covering the southern parts of the peninsula, saw the participation of none other than the Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof himself and 60 officials from the ministry and its various agencies, as well as the media.

Travelling in a bus, they covered a distance of 644 kilometres and stopped at the major towns of Seremban, Melaka and Johor Bahru, and the smaller towns of Kajang (Selangor); Mantin and Rembau (Negeri Sembilan); Alor Gajah and Merlimau (Melaka); and Muar, Batu Pahat, Pontian, Kulai, Ayer Hitam, Segamat and Tangkak (Johor).

"Creating Beautiful Moments Together" was the slogan the ministry had coined for the third edition of its FTRoadpedia trip and it seemed apt as the bus ambled past the tranquil countryside and vast tracts of greenery. Indeed, for the "old-timers", it evoked memories of leisurely and scenic drives before modern highways and expressways started taking precedence from the 1980s onwards.

As Fadillah puts it, one of FTRoadpedia's objectives was to accord the old trunk roads a refreshing and positive outlook, and remind the people of their existence.

"These (FT) roads are especially suitable for those who want to go on a more leisurely trip. Not only are the roads safe for motorists, there are also many places along the way where they can rest and relax and have a meal or drink before they continue driving.

"There are also mosques where Muslims can stop to pray, and even recreation centres. In contrast, highways only have RnRs (rest and recreation areas)," the minister remarked, adding that the increase in traffic on the trunk roads would also help boost the economy of the local communities.

SMALL TOWN DELIGHTS

FTRoadpedia's southern sojourn also focused on the attractions in the various towns, as well as their culinary delights. Since Kajang was synonymous with satay, it was imperative that the FTRoadpedia trippers made a stop at one of its famous satay outlets to savour the succulent pieces of chicken or beef that are grilled on skewers and served with a delicious peanut sauce.

In Rembau, they fell for the the traditional apam Johol, a fluffy cake made from banana, wheat flour and sugar.

In the historical city of Melaka, besides the coconut shake and kuih keria gula Melaka - which have attained fame on social media - the Asam Pedas was also a must-have delicacy.

Johor's food treats included its traditional nasi beriyani, laksa Johor and Kari 40 Hari, as well as the Bugis community's favourites burasak and asam pedas ikan parang.

Also unforgettable was the night-time cruise on Sungai Melaka which provided panoramic views of the historical city. Visiting the Tanjung Piai National Park in Pontian was a memorable experience as the FTRoadpedia delegation had the opportunity to reach the southernmost point of mainland Asia.

In fact, the Work Ministry has documented all the attractions - culinary and otherwise - of the various towns located near the FT roads in the southern zone of the peninsula in a booklet, which would be distributed to the road users.

UPGRADING THE ROADS

Fadillah said the FTRoadpedia trip provided him with the opportunity to see for himself the condition of the trunk roads.

"I want to make sure that the roads are in good condition and safe for motorists. This trip is also an opportunity for us to monitor the concessionaires that have been given the responsibility to maintain the federal trunk roads.

"The top managements in the ministry and PWD could also see for themselves how they can make further improvements to these roads," he added.

The minister said while a major portion of the southern trunk road network was in good condition, some parts needed to be improved.

The main trunk road from Melaka to Muar, for example, remained a two-lane road as the authorities have not been able to proceed with road widening works due to the various developments that have emerged in the villages and housing areas along the road.

"However, we will look at other ways to improve the road," said Fadillah.

In carrying out its road upgrading works, the PWD is paying special attention to the accident-prone black spots, particularly those located near schools, and was building overhead bridges and installing traffic lights at the appropriate places.

Last year alone, a total of RM753 million was spent on the maintenance of the federal trunk roads, added Fadillah.

BACKBONE OF THE ROAD SYSTEM IN THE PAST

The Federal Roads System, known by its code FT (Federal Trunk), was built starting from the 1880s during the British colonial rule. Work on the first federal road started in 1880 under the command of the then Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Mukarram Shah, who wanted a road connecting Alor Setar, Kedah to Songkhla, Thailand.

Today, the total length of the federal roads in Peninsular Malaysia is 19,822 kilometres and they connect the various state capitals, main towns, small towns and villages.

The Federal Route 1 is one of the three backbone federal highways in the peninsula, the other two being Federal Routes 3 and 5.

The Kilometre Zero for Federal Route 1 is located in Johor Bahru and it is connected to Federal Routes 3 (main trunk road leading to the east coast of the peninsula) and Federal Route 5 (main trunk road leading to the west coast).

A code system is used to differentiate the federal roads from the state roads. The federal roads are identified by an assigned number that is displayed within a yellow hexagon on road signs. State roads are identified by the state code letter - for example, N for Negeri Sembilan and J for Johor - followed by their assigned numbers.

All federal roads in Malaysia are gazetted under the Federal Road Act 1959 and they come under the purview of the Minister of Works. They are maintained by the PWD, with the exception of Federal Route 2 - consisting of the Kuala Lumpur-Klang highway and Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan Road - and the federal roads in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan that are maintained by their respective city or municipal councils.

-- BERNAMA