Siti Mariam shares her driving experience on highway during festive season

Siti Mariam said her trip from Pokok Sena, Kedah, to Setapak quickly descended into gridlock after she exited the Alor Setar Utara toll plaza and joined the North-South Expressway.
COURTESY PICTURE TAKEN FROM NST

For the sake of celebrating Hari Raya, it's okay to travel a 5-hour trip for 14 hours

What should have been a five-hour journey from Kedah to Kuala Lumpur turned into a 14-hour crawl, as one motorist recounted the toll of festive traffic and reminded of the need for better preparation for long drives, New Straits Times said after  interviewing a lady driver on Tuesday 24 March 2026.

Puan Siti Mariam said her trip from Pokok Sena, Kedah, to Setapak quickly descended into gridlock after she exited the Alor Setar Utara toll plaza and joined the North-South Expressway.

"The jam started getting bad almost immediately. For most of the journey, I was moving at just 20 to 30km/h. The fastest I reached was 80km/h, and even that didn't last," she said.

Despite driving an automatic car, she said the constant stop-and-go traffic left her with aching knees by the time she arrived.

But she described fatigue as the biggest danger during the journey.

"I was so sleepy, but the road was too packed for me to even pull over for a drink," she said, adding that when she eventually entered a rest and relaxation (R&R) stop, she had to circle three times before finding a parking space.

The congestion persisted despite the activation of "smart lanes", with traffic barely moving due to the volume of vehicles.

"I left at 5pm and arrived at 3am. Traffic was heavy through Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor, and only eased near Kuala Lumpur," he said, noting there were no major accidents along the route.

Reflecting on her experience, Siti reminded Malaysians to plan ahead before travelling during peak periods.

"Please plan your journey properly. Keep food and coffee in the car, and make sure you get enough rest before driving. You need to stay alert for the long haul," she said.

Authorities have introduced measures such as real-time WhatsApp alerts and Travel Time Advisory (TTA) updates via the Malaysian Highway Authority and Plus Malaysia Berhad to help motorists better manage their journeys during peak travel periods.

End©Permadu

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Adapted by Fauzi Kadir
Chief Editor

Assistant Editor
Kwai Fong Chin


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