Increase in road accidents tarnishes Malaysian festivals
Increase in road accidents tarnishes Malaysian festivals
By Christina Pantin
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Over past weeks, Malaysians have observed not only two major festivals, but also a grimmer event spawned by the national festivities -- a rise in road accidents that has frustrated the country's leaders.
Despite the January 31 launch of a national operation to boost safety on the highways, accidents among those making their traditional exodus to villages and home towns have become alarmingly frequent.
An average of 600 accidents a day were recorded from January 31 to Feb. 7, the national Bernama news agency said.
Police said that since the safety campaign was launched, 212 people have died in road accidents.
For all of last year, more than 6,000 people died in road accidents in Malaysia.
The confluence of the Chinese Lunar New Year and the Moslem Idul Fitri -- two of Malaysia's biggest festivals -- sent many of Malaysia's 21 million population pouring on to the highways. The exodus proved deadly, especially for motorcyclists.
On Feb. 10, motorcyclists and their pillion riders accounted for 21 of the 27 road deaths in the country that day, police said.
Most motorcyclists, who are required by law to wear helmets, were killed because they failed to stop at junctions, had tried to beat red lights or were speeding, police said.
Fast-growing Malaysia has seen a boom in its traffic, which clogs its city streets on any given day. Its citizens have been hitting the highways more frequently after the completion several years ago of the North-South highway, which runs the length of peninsula Malaysia.
Motorcycles, because of their relative affordability, remain a popular mode of transport.
Malaysian officials say they have run out of solutions to prevent the mayhem on the nation's roads. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said he is at a loss.
"We just do not know what there is left to do, short of stopping everyone from driving," he told reporters on Feb. 9 while hosting an open house celebration for Idul Fitri.
The road deaths have dominated newspaper headlines. The search for culprits took a bizarre turn when the information minister blamed a private radio station for not properly educating motorists.
"Time Highway Radio was set up to provide entertainment, the latest traffic reports as well as tips on safe driving and road manners," Mohamed Rahmat was quoted as saying in the Star newspaper on Feb. 12.
"Instead of less accidents, we see an increase. This shows that the station has not been effective in educating motorists," the minister told reporters.
As part of the Malaysian safety campaign, authorities stationed traffic policemen along 488 accident-prone stretches of highways and roads.
The Star has also taken up the cause by displaying an "accident watch" box on its front pages showing a daily tally of national road accidents and deaths.
The Association of Motorcycle and Scooter Assemblers and Distributors Malaysia has proposed that the government set up a special training center for motorists to curb accidents.
Atan Mat Zin, a motorcyclist who is a 17-year veteran of Kuala Lumpur's streets, said many of the deaths among his fellow riders are probably due to "younger people who ride fast".
He said having more police officers to monitor lawbreakers may help. Also, he faulted cars which hog lanes and refuse to allow motorcyclists any leeway, forcing them to weave in and out of traffic.
But, in the end, safer driving comes down to the drivers themselves, he conceded. "It's up to the individuals," he said.