By Shukri Rahman

Putrajaya, 19 April 2004: Almost 300 local and foreign road specialists, practitioners, professionals and consultants congregated here today to discuss how innovative pavement technologies hold the key to better roads.

Officiated by Deputy Works Minister, Dato’ Ir Haji Mohd Zin Mohamed on behalf of the Works Minister, the second Ikram’s International Seminar on Asphalt Pavement Technology (IISAPT2) is jointly organized by Protasco Bhd’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Kumpulan Ikram Sdn Bhd, the Public Works Department (PWD) and World Road Association. The first seminar was held in 2001.

Congratulating the organizers, Dato’ Mohd Zin said in order to increase pavement life, there is a need to have a better understanding of asphalt pavement systems. He added that as a country which is receptive to new technology, Malaysia is in constant quest for new asphalt technology to improve road durability, reduce rutting and cracking of pavements, lower maintenance costs, lessen travel time and cut accident-related costs.

Listed in August last year, Protasco Bhd through various key companies under its stable are aggressively involved in engineering works to encourage the innovative use of pavement technologies in both pavement management and recycling.

For instance, Ikram has successfully assisted the PWD to upgrade its Pavement Appraisal and Management Suite. It was also engaged by the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) to develop a Toll Road Evaluation and Monitoring System. There is also collaboration with the PWD on a 5-year research programme on Full-Depth Reclamation.

Protasco is the country’s industry leader in recycling technology, which has been proven to have several benefits – cost-effective, faster, practical, environmentally-sound and traffic-friendly. Kumpulan Ikram Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Othman Mohd Rijal said the group is thus keen to use the technology to support the government’s effort to upgrade the rural areas.

Twelve papers will be deliberated by speakers and participants from UK, France, Hungary, Switzerland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Libya, Australia, Hong Kong and ASEAN countries including Malaysia during the two-day seminar. The proceedings are divided into four sessions on Innovative Pavement Technologies, Pavement Management, Pavement Performance & Specification and Pavement Recycling Technologies.