Latest news with #MKJR
The Star
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
13 deaths, nearly 700 accidents on Sibu roads from January to April
Abang Mohamad Porkan checking a motorcyclist's helmet at the launch of the Sibu Division Road Safety Campaign on May 23. SIBU: A total of 683 road accidents involving 13 deaths were reported in Sibu between January and April, says Division Resident Abang Mohamad Porkan Abang Budiman. "This is an alarming figure, more than just data – it represents a lost family, a stalled future, and a grief that cannot be replaced," he said at the launch of the Sibu Division Road Safety Campaign in conjunction with the upcoming Gawai celebration on Friday (May 23). The campaign, which aims to raise public awareness on road safety, involves members of the community, law enforcement agencies, and transport authorities. Abang Mohamad Porkan, who also chairs the Sibu Municipal Council and the division's Road Safety Council (MKJR), stressed that road safety is a shared responsibility that requires behavioural change among all road users. 'Without a shift in attitude – such as avoiding driving under the influence of alcohol, adhering to speed limits, and refraining from mobile phone use on the road – all our efforts will come to nothing," he added. Abang Mohamad Porkan also reaffirmed MKJR's commitment to improving road safety through continuous engagement and strategic planning. Regular meetings with agencies such as the district urban transportation and mobility action committee and the district public transport committee are being held to tackle issues surrounding public transportation and road safety more effectively, he said. As the festive season approaches, he reminded road users to stay vigilant and responsible behind the wheel to avoid further loss of life.
Barnama
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Barnama
Speed Limit For School Zones To Be Reduced From 50 To 30 Km/h Soon
SEREMBAN, April 29 (Bernama) -- The government will very soon gazette a reduction in the maximum speed limit in school zones from 50 to 30 kilometres per hour (km/h) to improve safety for students. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the process of the new limit being gazetted is underway following the policy decision made through the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion. "The Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion has made a policy decision to lower the speed limit in all school zone areas from 50 km/h to 30 km/h. This is backed by scientific data that has been studied — reducing the speed to 30 km/h significantly lowers the risk of fatalities in accidents. 'Every additional 10 km/h increases the risk of death," he said after chairing the 61st Annual General Meeting of the Malaysian Road Safety Council (MKJR) today. He emphasised that in addition to gazetting the lower speed limit, authorities must also improve road infrastructure in school zones, such as installing warning signs and yellow lines, to alert road users and encourage them to slow down. Loke added that on average, there are 70 fatal accidents in school zones each year. Meanwhile, Loke stated that today's MKJR meeting focused on community-based road safety initiatives, including the My Safe Road programme, which involves interventions in high-risk areas to minimise fatalities and serious injuries in road accidents. "MKJR will also focus on the Safe School Zone and the Road Safety Leadership Fellowship Programme, aimed at nurturing young leaders who can spearhead road safety initiatives based on the Safe System Approach," he said. Loke emphasised that this approach has proven effective in reducing road accident fatalities in developed countries but it requires a paradigm shift of moving beyond merely blaming drivers' attitudes to also improving the system as a whole, including road conditions, vehicle speed limits and compliance with laws.
The Star
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Keeping kids safe with reduced school zone speed limit
Transport Minister Anthony Loke during press conference at Ministry of Transport Malaysia, Putrajaya. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star SEREMBAN: Laws to reduce the speed limit in school zones are being gazetted and will be enforced soon, says Anthony Loke (pic). The Transport Minister said that with an average of 70 fatalities in school zones a year, there was a pressing need to reduce the speed limit in these areas. He said the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Traffic Congestion, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has in principle agreed to reduce the speed limit in a move to reduce fatalities and serious injuries resulting from road accidents. 'The Road Safety Council (MKJR) will carry out this programme at selected schools this year. We need to do this to ensure the safety of both students as well as other road users,' he said after chairing the 61st annual general meeting of the MKJR here. Loke said studies have shown that reducing the speed limit to 30km per hour can greatly help reduce fatalities as well as serious injuries to road users. He said efforts should be made to put up signage, school crossings, speed breakers, road dividers and other safety equipment in school zones to ensure success. Wardens carrying stop signs will also be engaged. Loke said the Public Works Department and local councils have been informed to gazette the new speed limit laws. 'I hope that action is taken quickly to gazette them,' he said. Asked what triggered the move to reduce the speed limit in school zones, Loke said this was already a norm in many countries. 'This is the international standard. This was also one of the resolutions under the Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety, which we participated in previously, ' he said, expressing hope that motorists would not object to this as it was for the safety of schoolchildren. On a separate matter, Loke said the MKJR will also launch the My Safe Road programme this year by coming up with initiatives to reduce fatalities and serious injuries in high-risk areas. He said another programme in the pipeline was to appoint young advocates to highlight road safety among youths. 'We want to have more young people taking the lead in road safety initiatives. 'We are also in the midst of talks with local universities to organise short programmes to expose young people to theories and practical training so that they can become advocates for road safety,' he said, adding that the programme would be launched this year.
New Straits Times
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Speed limit in school zones to be reduced to 30km/h soon, says Loke
SEREMBAN: The government will soon gazette a reduction in the maximum speed limit for vehicles in school zones from 50 kilometres per hour (km/h) to 30km/h to enhance safety, particularly for school students. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the new speed limit is currently in the process of being gazetted, but the policy decision has already been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Traffic Congestion. The move, he said, was taken to create safer school zones, as these areas have a history of road accidents, especially involving students who walk or cycle to school. "The committee has made a policy decision to lower the speed limit in all school zone areas to 30km/h. "The decision is backed by a scientific data study, which showed that reducing the speed limit to 30km/h significantly lowers the risk of fatal accidents. The study also found that every 10 km/h increase in speed raises the risk of student deaths," he told reporters after officiating the 61st Annual General Meeting of the Malaysian Road Safety Council (MKJR) at the Royale Chulan Hotel here. Present was the ministry secretary-general Datuk Jana Santhiran Muniayan. Commenting further, Loke, who is also the Seremban member of Parliament, said the implementation of the reduced speed limit would require cooperation from other ministries and local authorities, particularly in providing the necessary supporting infrastructure. He said that in addition to gazetting the maximum speed limit, authorities must also ensure that proper road infrastructure is in place in school zones, such as warning signs and yellow road markings, to alert road users and encourage them to slow down. "On average, there are about 70 fatal accidents in school zones each year," Loke said. Meanwhile, at MJKR's meeting today, Loke said it focused on community-based road safety initiatives, including the My Safe Road programme, which targets interventions in high-risk areas to reduce fatalities and serious injuries from road accidents. "In addition, MKJR will also focus on the Safe School Zone initiative and the Road Safety Leadership Fellowship Programme, which aims to develop young leaders who can drive community-based road safety initiatives using the Safe System Approach," he said. Loke added that this approach has proven effective in reducing road accident fatalities in developed countries. However, it requires a paradigm shift, not merely blaming driver behaviour, but also emphasising systemic improvements such as road conditions, vehicle safety, speed limits and law enforcement.
The Sun
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Speed limit for school zones to be reduced from 50 to 30 km/h soon
SEREMBAN: The government will very soon gazette a reduction in the maximum speed limit in school zones from 50 to 30 kilometres per hour (km/h) to improve safety for students. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the process of the new limit being gazetted is underway following the policy decision made through the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion. 'The Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Congestion has made a policy decision to lower the speed limit in all school zone areas from 50 km/h to 30 km/h. This is backed by scientific data that has been studied — reducing the speed to 30 km/h significantly lowers the risk of fatalities in accidents. 'Every additional 10 km/h increases the risk of death,' he said after chairing the 61st Annual General Meeting of the Malaysian Road Safety Council (MKJR) today. He emphasised that in addition to gazetting the lower speed limit, authorities must also improve road infrastructure in school zones, such as installing warning signs and yellow lines, to alert road users and encourage them to slow down. Loke added that on average, there are 70 fatal accidents in school zones each year. Meanwhile, Loke stated that today's MKJR meeting focused on community-based road safety initiatives, including the My Safe Road programme, which involves interventions in high-risk areas to minimise fatalities and serious injuries in road accidents. 'MKJR will also focus on the Safe School Zone and the Road Safety Leadership Fellowship Programme, aimed at nurturing young leaders who can spearhead road safety initiatives based on the Safe System Approach,' he said. Loke emphasised that this approach has proven effective in reducing road accident fatalities in developed countries but it requires a paradigm shift of moving beyond merely blaming drivers' attitudes to also improving the system as a whole, including road conditions, vehicle speed limits and compliance with laws.
