PETALING JAYA: Fatal road accidents are a prevalent issue in Malaysia, rising each year, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
Harian Metro reported that the number of fatalities caused by road accidents have risen to 5,364 deaths from January until October this year with 5,029 fatal accidents.
Loke has attributed this to the growing numbers of vehicles such as cars and motorcycles on the road.
“The highest number involves motorcyclists at almost 65%.
“So we really know that the death toll is very high and concerning, and there is no downward trend despite various efforts being implemented.
“So far, we are not satisfied with the approach being taken.
“That is why the government is very concerned about this safety issue,” Loke was quoted as saying.
Since last year, the government has formed a Cabinet committee regarding the issue, which is currently chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, said to have frequent meetings to discuss efforts and initiatives to reduce the rate of road accidents in the country.
When asked about the fact that Malaysia is placed second in Southeast Asia for the highest rate of fatal road accidents, Loke said his ministry should be upset and make this an important reminder.
“These frequent accidents not only affect the country’s image but also the heartbreaking death toll. Certainly, we need to view this issue through a humanitarian lens.
“We should also not compare with other countries, but focus on how we can minimize accidents. In my opinion, this issue does not require comparison, nor should there be any race or competition involving road safety issues,” Loke was also quoted as saying.
As for policies implemented to mitigate the problem at hand, Loke said this will include the enforcement of speed meters in buses to reduce driving speed, which will be mandatory for new buses as well.
Loke also said his ministry is looking at ways to improve the nation’s public transportation, in a bid to make it more accessible and provide more options for he public, touting it as a safer and cheaper option and one way to reduce traffic congestion.
“We are not only focusing on large projects such as the LRT and MRT, but also introducing Demand Ride Transit (DRT), which allows people to use this service from their homes to nearby public transport stations or locations.
“This service has been implemented for two or three years by private companies, and through Prasarana, we have it in nine areas involving nine MRT stations. It will be expanded next year, and we have added 300 vans to operate around LRT station areas.
“We see this as a more effective step compared to buses, as buses cannot enter every area. So far, nine LRT stations are involved in DRT,” he added.
Loke, however, understands that these steps will not solve the issue regarding motorcycle accidents and pointed out the statistics revealing majority of accidents involve young motorcyclists.
Additionally, the Transport Ministry will work together with the Youth and Sports Ministry in raising awareness among the youth through the Rakan Muda Program to promote road safety.
This program will be included in the co-curriculum of schools and universities.
“There are subjects or content related to road safety issues at the basic level. However, it is still not enough and needs to be intensified, perhaps at the school level
“The biggest issue for us is actually not university students, but secondary school students, who represent the biggest concern. The figures show that the majority of fatalities are among those still in secondary school,” he was quoted as saying.
