Accord top priority to safety, take extra care, road users told
SARIKEI: Motorists have been advised to always accord top priority not only in ensuring their own safety but also of their loved ones and other road users as well.
Sarikei Resident Mohamad Junaidi Mohidin gave the advice when he launched the Divisionallevel Road Safety Campaign (Ops Selamat) in conjunction with this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration at Kilometer 1 Repok Road Shell Fuel Station here yesterday.
Junaidi said that one of the road safety measures which all road users ought to strictly observe, especially those on long- distance journey, is to ensure their vehicles were in tip-top condition, adding, for instance, they needed to change worn out or bald tyres and have their engines checked by qualified mechanics.
Besides, drivers should always remind themselves to be careful, courteous and well- disciplined whenever they were on the road.
As the Pan Borneo Highway is under construction, motorists needed to exercise extra care when passing the stretches where works were in progress by observing the speed limit and other safety signages put up by the contractors and relevant authorities, he further advised.
On the Hari Raya Road Safety campaign, Junaidi said that it was a programme which his office in collaboration with other government agencies and private sector undertook during every festive season.
He said its main objective was to remind road users of the need to exercise extra care while driving during festive seasons when traffic was expected to be busier than usual due to ‘ balik kampung’ exodus.
He was glad to note that the number of road accidents recorded in the division during festive seasons was minimal and attributed it to the effectiveness of the safety campaign.
Based on statistics released by Sarikei, Meradong and Julau district police, a total of 28 accidents were recorded during 2016 Hari Raya Road Safety campaign and 29 during last year’s campaign.
According to Sarikei District deputy police chief DSP Zamry Ali, a total of 16 road accidents were recorded in the district during last year’s Hari Raya Road Safety Campaign period compared to 13 the previous year.
Meradong District on the other hand recorded a total of 10 accidents including two fatal cases involving two deaths during 2016 Hari Raya Road Safety campaign.
The District traffic police chief Inspector Rizal Md Isa said though the number of accidents rose to 13 during last Hari Raya Road Safety campaign period, all were minor cases.
Sergeant Stephen Atan who represented Julau District police said that no accident was recorded in the district during 2017 Hari Raya Road safety campaign period while five minor accident cases were recorded during the 2016 campaign.
Among those present at the ceremony were Sarikei Deputy Resident Abang Mohd Porkan Abang Budiman, Sarikei Road Transport Department chief Nurul Firezzah Safri, Sarikei District Fire and Rescue Department ( Bomba) chief Suna Kaha and heads of various departments.