[3] However, most of the Federal roads' projects were built and maintained by the Malaysian Public Works Department (JKR), which is also one of the implementing agencies under the MOW (with the exception of Sabah and Sarawak, whereby JKR in these two states is under respective state government).

At that time, the British government built the roads in order to enable them to transport goods and commodities easier.

However, in Sarawak, no road network system was developed during the rule of White Rajah Brooke dynasty.

However, federal route numbers can also be added with the FT- prefix, which is normally used by JKR and Malaysian police.

In hilly areas, additional third climbing lane is available for slower vehicles such as buses and lorries.

On Malaysian federal roads, the motorcycle lanes are placed at the extreme left side of each direction and only separated from the main lanes by black-and-white stripes to enable motorcyclists to overtake slower motorcycles and to turn right to exit the road.

Nearly all federal roads are paved with typical tarmac except Skudai-Pontian Highway which is paved with concrete from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia interchange to Taman Sri Pulai junction and Sitiawan–Batak Rabit road (Federal route 5) from Sitiawan to Kota Setia.

It is due to the construction is federal funded, but the compensation and acquisition of land are from Sarawak state government.

Malaysian federal roads are subject to the rural highway standard adopted by Malaysian Public Works Department (JKR), ranging from R1 and R1a (minor roads at villages and FELDA settlements with no access control and low speed limits) to R5 (federal roads or highways with limited access control and speed limits up to 90 km/h).

During festive seasons such as Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas and Hari Raya Aidilfitri, activities such as construction, road repairs and maintenance works have been stopped.

The Public Works Department has monitored all federal roads in Malaysia and make sure that no landslides, flash floods and other natural hazards may happen again.