Perak seeks JRTB upgrade in 13MP after fatal bus crash
Saarani said the state government had conveyed its intention to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during his visit to Lumut last week.
'What's most important is to reassess the alignment and widening of the JRTB. The upgrade involves more than just resurfacing; it requires a full reconstruction, as the existing structure is so old that some of the damage has exposed the road base.
'This highway has been in use for over 40 years, and simply patching up damaged sections may no longer be sufficient. However, the state government fully understands that constructing a new alignment or rebuilding the JRTB would require substantial funding,' he said at a press conference after officiating the closing ceremony of the 2025 National Training Week at the Ipoh Convention Centre here today.
Saarani said the state government has also instructed the State Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport chairman, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, and Human Resources, Health, Indian Community Affairs and National Integration chairman A. Sivanesan, to prepare a report and study on upgrading the JRTB and Gerik Hospital.
'Mohammad Nizar will obtain information and data from the Works Ministry regarding the upgrade of the JRTB, while Sivanesan is working on applying to the Health Ministry for the upgrading of Gerik Hospital, as there is an urgent need in the event of accidents. Typically, victims are taken to Hospital Taiping or the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.
'If upgraded, it would be sufficient for patients or victims to be treated at Gerik Hospital, provided it is equipped with the necessary facilities and expertise. Once the study is completed, we will submit a letter to the relevant ministry,' he added.
In the early hours of June 9, a tragic accident along the JRTB near Tasik Banding, Gerik, claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students when the chartered bus transporting them from Jertih, Terengganu, to the main campus in Tanjong Malim, Perak, was involved in a crash.
The crash also left 33 others injured, including the bus driver and his assistant, as well as the driver and three passengers of a multi-purpose vehicle.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Focus Malaysia
10 hours ago
- Focus Malaysia
Living, not working, longer
THE question of whether Malaysia should increase its retirement age is not new, but it has gained renewed attention following the government's proposal under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) to gradually raise the official retirement age. This is in response to longer life expectancy and economic pressures and the logic seems simple: if we live longer, shouldn't we work longer too? From a psychological perspective, the answer depends on more than just economics. Retirement is not merely a financial decision; it is a deeply personal transition that affects identity, purpose, and mental well-being. As a psychologist, I believe that whether working longer is 'better' depends not only on health and economics, but also on the quality of work and how it aligns with the principles of cognitive psychology and positive psychology. Cognitive psychology teaches us that the brain thrives on stimulation. Just like muscles, our cognitive abilities stay sharper when regularly exercised. Work that involves decision-making, problem-solving, and meaningful social interaction can help preserve memory, focus, and mental agility well into later life. The opposite is also true; monotonous, highly stressful, or physically exhausting work can diminish mental well-being and accelerate burnout. Malaysian data backs this up. Findings from the Malaysia Ageing & Retirement Survey (MARS) show that 1 in 5 Malaysians aged 60 and above are still working, and that occupational engagement is linked to better cognitive scores in numeracy and verbal fluency. Notably, cognitively stimulating work appears to offer the greatest benefits, while physically stressful or low-control jobs may have the opposite effect, raising the risk of both physical and mental decline. A separate MARS analysis of over 5,500 adults revealed that a strong sense of purpose in life, a core concept in positive psychology, is independently associated with better memory, verbal fluency, and overall cognitive performance. This relationship holds true for both men and women, whether employed or retired, and is only partly explained by lifestyle or social factors. In other words, roles that preserve purpose whether through paid work, mentoring, volunteering, or community leadership may help sustain brain health as we age. But here is the cautionary note: the benefits of working longer depend heavily on the nature of the work. The landmark Whitehall Studies in the UK, which tracked thousands of civil servants over decades, found that those in lower-grade, lower-control jobs had significantly higher rates of heart disease, depression, and premature death, even though all participants had the same access to healthcare. Whitehall I showed that men in the lowest grades faced up to three times the mortality risk of those in the highest grades. Whitehall II expanded the scope to include women and revealed that low job control, lack of social support, and chronic work-related stress were strong predictors of poor health outcomes. The lesson for Malaysia is clear: extending working life without addressing job quality could harm, rather than help, older workers—especially those in high-demand, low-control roles. It's not enough to raise the retirement age; we must ensure that later-life jobs are designed to promote health, autonomy, and engagement. Positive psychology provides a framework for doing this. It emphasises three elements that keep people thriving: mastery, meaning, and connection. For some, working longer in a job they enjoy and excel at can be energising and fulfilling. For others, especially those whose jobs have become physically or mentally taxing, flexible pathways into less intense but still purposeful roles may be far more sustainable. These could include consultancy work, part-time roles, mentoring younger employees, or transitioning into community-based projects. We also have to recognise that ageing is not one-size-fits-all. A 65-year-old may be running marathons or recovering from major surgery. Some individuals may wish to continue contributing through work, while others may prefer to focus on family, health, or personal pursuits. This diversity means that the effects of later-life employment can differ significantly from one person to another. Ultimately, the question of whether to raise the retirement age in Malaysia involves multiple considerations, including health, job quality, personal preferences, and economic factors. Evidence suggests that the impact of working longer can vary widely depending on individual circumstances and the nature of the work. Any approach to this issue would need to account for the diversity of ageing experiences and the complex relationship between employment, well-being, and purpose in later life. ‒ Aug 15, 2025 Associate Prof Dr Haslina Muhamad is an Associate Professor at the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Universiti Malaya. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: HR Asia
Malay Mail
16 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Still not safe to eat: Port Dickson mussels remain off-limits, biotoxin levels too high
SEREMBAN, Aug 15 — Laboratory tests on the second sample conducted by the Kuala Lumpur Fisheries Biosecurity Centre (PBPKL) on Tuesday on mussels and shellfish in Port Dickson waters found that the biotoxin reading was still above 800 parts per billion (ppb). Negeri Sembilan Fisheries Department (JPNS) director Kasim Tawe said therefore the seafood is still unsafe as it could cause health problems and the ban on eating it is still in force. 'For the samples we took on Tuesday at two locations, namely in the waters of Kampung Teluk and Sungai Sekawang, the biotoxin readings were still above the limit. The third sample will be taken next week. 'As the results of the second sample still exceed the permitted level, JPNS will take samples and monitor the situation every week until the results of the biotoxin level are lower than the permitted level,' he told Bernama here today. In this regard, he once again reminded the public not to collect, take or harvest shellfish in the waters for a while. Earlier, the Telok Kemang Area Fishermen's Association claimed to have detected a phenomenon believed to be an algal bloom in Pasir Panjang waters and issued an announcement banning the sale and harvesting of shellfish (dwicengkerang) from the waters of Port Dickson. — Bernama
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Boys outnumber girls as local birth rate declines
PETALING JAYA: Fewer babies are being born in Malaysia, but they still arrive at a pace of one every minute, with boys outnumbering girls with a ratio of 108 males for every 100 females, based on the latest demographic data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin (pic) said the number of live births took a dive of 7.1% to 93,435 births in the second quarter of 2025, compared to 100,558 births during the same period last year. Male babies outnumbered female babies with 48,444 births as compared to 44,991 births, he said, as DOSM released statistics yesterday on live births, deaths and population in the second quarter of 2025. 'In terms of states, Selangor recorded the highest live births with 17,605 births (18.8%), while Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan recorded the lowest with 274 births (0.3%). 'Mothers aged 30 to 39 recorded the highest live births with 48,503 births (51.9%), followed by mothers aged 20-29 years (40.8%), 40 years and over (5.6%) and less than 20 years (1.6%), he said in a statement. In terms of ethnicity, Malays contributed 68.7% (64,187 births) of the total live births, while the share of Chinese and Indians decreased to 8.1% and 3.8%, respectively. For other bumiputra groups in Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, there was a slight increase of 12.9% compared to 12.6% during the same period. Although total deaths recorded a decline of 3% in the second quarter with 48,408 deaths compared to 49,906 deaths in the same period last year, more men were dying, with a ratio of 133 males per 100 females, Mohd Uzir said. 'The number of deaths recorded for males were 27,607 and 20,801 deaths for females. Selangor recorded the highest number of deaths with 7,820 deaths (16.2%), while Labuan recorded the lowest with 68 deaths (0.1%). 'Those aged 60 years and above had the highest number of deaths with 34,165 deaths (70.6%), followed by the 41 to 59 age group (20.1%), 15-40 (7.3%) and 0-14 (2.0%),' he said. Mohd Uzir added that despite the decrease in the number of live births in the second quarter, Malaysia's total population was estimated at 34.2 million, compared to 34.1 million in the same period last year, with a slower growth of 0.5% compared to 1.9%. He said that in order to achieve the 1.1% population growth outlined in the 13th Malaysia Plan, Malaysia must increase its population by approximately 400,000 annually. 'The male population increased to 18 million from 17.9 million a year ago, while the female population increased to 16.3 million from 16.2 million. 'The older population (65 and over) increased from 7.6% to 8.0% in the second quarter of 2025, while the younger population (0-14) recorded a decrease from 22.2% to 21.6%,' he added. He said birth rates and total fertility rates have been declining globally in recent years, posing major challenges to demographic structure, economic growth and social balance at the global and national levels.
