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been maintained in a reasonable state of repair ; and 
in anticipation of future prosperity, a programme 
for the construction of new roads has been prepared 
with a view to opening up new territory, embracing 
extensions amounting to 463 miles in Perak, 247 
miles in Selangor, 169 miles in Negri Sembilan and 
657 miles in Pahang. 
Speaking in London at the Imperial Motor 
Transport Conference of October 20th 1920, the 
Malayan Roads were described by an American 
citizen in the following words: — 
“ Travellers of experience will tell you that 
they are the finest laid and maintained Roads 
of their class in the world. Personally I have 
been associated with road transport and road 
making in various parts of the world during 
tne last 25 years — 7 of which have been spent 
m Malaya. I have travelled most of the Roads 
out there and I can therefore speak with en- 
thusiastic appreciation of the magnificient work 
in the laying of these splendid roads through 
swamps and jungle, and in the execution of 
wmch the Engineers had to face all the dangers 
to health and the sacrifice of all social life and 
home ties as required from all those who engage 
m pioneer work. They are, indeed, the Silent 
Empire Builders to whom no glory is usually 
awarded, but over whose roads the Empire is 
nevertheless indebted for .much of that trade 
and prosperity which makes her the leading 
nation in the world.” 
