PETALING JAYA: Who has right of way – an ambulance rushing a patient to hospital or a VIP convoy on the way to an official event?
Stakeholders theSun spoke to were unanimous in agreeing that a life-and-death issue overrides everything else.
Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye is of the opinion that ambulances and fire engines should be exempted from any traffic restrictions since their services are essential to the public during an emergency.
He added that delaying such critical services would put those in need in grave danger.
“When fire engines and ambulances have their sirens blaring, that means they are in an emergency to safeguard people,” Lee said.
“If you stop an ambulance that is carrying a patient in an emergency just because some politicians or VIPs are crossing, it won’t be appropriate because it’s a matter of life and death.
“The fire engines need to rush to fight a fire and rescue the victims. So, they can’t take their own sweet time,” he added.
“The ambulance needs to send patients to hospitals or medical centres quickly as they might need urgent medical attention.”
Malaysia Private Ambulance Service Providers Association president Steven Penafort said patients in an ambulance should be prioritised, despite the fact that ambulances are equipped with lifesaving equipment to provide temporary medical support in case they are stuck in traffic.
However, he said ambulances can be exempted from traffic blocks as there is no law to stop an ambulance to facilitate the movement of VIP convoys.
“Anyone who is injured or has a medical condition in an ambulance should be given priority and the right of way. This is because the international standard response time is 10 to 15 minutes.
“There is a policy in place under the ‘Garis panduan lampu mata arah dan siren’ that prioritises ambulances, fire engines, law enforcement vehicles, road transport department vehicles and prison vehicles for right of way,” he told theSun.
“So far, there are no standard operating procedures in place for ambulances to wait until a VIP convoy passes. But such convoys are frequently led by law enforcement vehicles, and when both parties cross paths, one party must make way.”
Lee and Penafort were commenting on a video on social media in which an ambulance was stopped in Johor recently to allow a VIP convoy to pass.
Pertubuhan Amal Uncle Kentang founder Kuan Chee Heng also agreed that it is sensible and rational to prioritise lives above VIP convoys.
“The importance of reaching a hospital fast is paramount to save a life and every second counts,” he said.
On March 9, Kuan posted a video on Facebook of three police outriders clearing traffic for an ambulance on the Sprint Highway.
The three outriders were escorting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, and they ensured the ambulance reached the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur quickly.
“Thank you to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who allowed the three police officers to accompany our ambulance carrying a patient from Section 14 in PJ to IJN,” Kuan said in a post accompanying the video.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department head Norazam Khamis said every emergency call is critical to his department as firefighters need to arrive at an emergency location to rescue individuals in distress.
“Every emergency call is important. Firefighters will try to get to the location as quickly as possible and they must respond swiftly, and always assume that every call received involves someone who needs to be saved right away,” he said.
