By Marlynda Meraw
KUCHING, Dec 2: Sarawak has recorded a total of 17,847 road accidents up to October 2025, according to the latest figures shared by Minister of Transport Sarawak (MOTS) Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin.
During his ministerial winding-up speech, Lee shared the detailed data for the period, revealing the severity of the incidents across Sarawak.
“Of these, 213 were minor accidents, 110 serious accidents and 305 fatal accidents,” he told the august House during the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting today.
From January to October 2025, Sarawak has recorded a total of 749 injuries caused by road accidents, including 336 fatalities, 154 serious injuries, and 259 minor injuries.
Lee, who is also Senadin assemblyman, said that the statistics show that motorcars account for more than half of the total accidents, followed by four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles and motorcycles.
“Based on the statistics, Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu are the divisions with the highest incidence of road accidents,” said Lee, citing the primary factors being loss of vehicle control resulting from speeding, rear-end collisions and side-impact collisions at junction intersections as reported by the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM).
He stated that these factors highlight the fact that road safety is achievable only when concerted efforts are made to raise awareness on safe driving behaviour across the community.
In an immediate response to the rising figures, the Ministry for Transport continues to work in close collaboration with members of the Sarawak Road Safety Council.
Key agencies involved in this partnership include PDRM, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Sarawak, Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak, and other relevant bodies.
These collaborations are crucial for executing targeted road safety awareness campaigns, particularly during festive seasons.
Travel spikes during these holidays significantly increase the risk of accidents on the road, he said.
Successful campaigns have already been carried out in Sarikei and Miri (Chinese New Year), Mukah (Hari Raya Aidilfitri), and Bintulu (Hari Gawai Dayak).
A further campaign is scheduled for Betong and Serian this month, in conjunction with the incoming Christmas celebration.
Beyond traditional enforcement and engineering solutions, MOTS is prioritising education as a critical component, especially for fostering awareness among school students.
According to Lee, the Ministry have successfully organised the Sarawak Traffic Games (STG) across five major locations: Sarikei, Kuching, Sibu, Sri Aman, and most recently Bintulu on November 15.
He added that the Ministry actively promotes the Transport Awareness Behavioural Change (T-ABC) programme across all twelve divisions. The T-ABC programme includes road safety talks, exhibitions, and public engagement sessions designed to foster safer attitudes and behaviours.
Three such programmes were conducted this year in Mukah, Bintulu, and Miri.
The Ministry has also outlined plans for 2026 to deepen collaboration with stakeholders like JPJ Sarawak, PDRM, and the Education Department to further promote road safety awareness among school children. — DayakDaily
