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By Karen Bong
KUCHING, July 15: Fatal road accidents have been a cause for concern along the Sarawak Pan Borneo Highway, with a total of 355 accidents reported from January to June this year.
Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof highlighted various contributing factors, especially the attitude and negligence of road users, ranging from speeding, going against traffic flow and disregarding designated P-turns to intentionally removing guardrails for shortcuts and being unfamiliar with recent road changes.
“The number of accidents is significantly high, primarily because road users have yet to familiarise themselves with the new road arrangements, including the use of P-turns instead of the conventional U-turns.
“Reckless behaviours such as speeding, exceeding speed limits, and disregarding traffic directions contribute to the problem. Removing guardrails, which are installed for safety purposes, to access shortcuts poses an additional risk,” he told reporters after officiating the Safety Advocacy Tour 2023 in Pan Borneo Highway Sarawak at Sarawak Islamic Complex today.
Moreover, Fadillah said vandalism of infrastructure, including the theft of iron nuts and bolts, is a prevalent issue across the country, not limited to the Pan Borneo Highway from Kuching to Miri.
“During my tenure as Works Minister, I have actually asked for a study to be conducted to explore alternative materials for iron nuts and bolts that are less valuable but still prioritise safety and security of infrastructure.
“Vandalism incurs additional costs for the road authority, particularly when guardrails and other structures need replacement. Guardrails serve as a safety measure, preventing head-on collisions and vehicles crossing dividers,” he added.
As such, he hopes the people will become the eyes to monitor and take care of the road facilities to create and ensure a safer road environment for all.
Fadillah emphasised that these alarming factors escalate the likelihood of accidents along the Pan Borneo Highway, resulting not only in property damage and infrastructure loss but, more critically, loss of life.
“We are worried and concerned. This is not about the number because each fatality is not only a significant loss for the country but also has a profound impact on the affected families,” he asserted.
According to the Road Safety Department, he highlighted that Malaysia has the highest rate of accidents worldwide, primarily due to the negligence of motorists.
He thanked the collaborative efforts of stakeholders such as the Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak, police, Road Transport Department (JPJ), and Resident offices for organising the awareness programme involving community leaders from the Kuching Zone.
This programme would be expanded to other divisions to foster safety consciousness not only along the Pan Borneo Highway but throughout all roads in Sarawak for the benefit of all Sarawakians.
Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian and Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Development Ir Aidel Lariwoo were among those present. — DayakDaily
