PETALING JAYA: Enhancing and updating traffic laws, including strictly and regularly enforcing them without fear or favour, would help reduce the number of deaths on Malaysian roads, said Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam.
The former Transport Ministry’s secretary-general added that when reforming the laws, all stakeholders must be involved, especially motorcyclists, for them to air their views on Malaysian traffic laws and its implications on them.
He said if only government bureaucrats and the private sector were involved, changes in traffic laws would not have the desired impact.
He suggested that ministers and senior government officials learn about the problems faced by ordinary road users.
“Simply reading reports and studies will not give them a feel of what is happening on the roads. Any changes to traffic laws must be a participatory event,” said Ramon.
“The Road Safety Council needs to be reformed and more inclusive, as they need members from all walks of life to help them understand the type of reforms and rules they will need to improve road safety.”
He added that enforcement is one aspect that needs to be enhanced to ensure everyone adheres to the traffic laws.
The World Health Organisation said as of August 2021, for every 100 road deaths in Malaysia, 70 involved motorcyclists, with 89,953 motorcyclists dying on the roads between 2001 and 2021.
Ramon said the low priority given to preventing the high number of motorcyclist deaths was mainly due to the lack of dedicated motorcycle lanes, poor enforcement of regulations and weak education and training at riding schools.
He urged the Transport Ministry to set up a special safety committee to advise the government on new measures to reduce road crashes, especially among motorcyclists.
Former member of the Road Safety Council Chris Syer said all traffic laws need to be updated and amended to bring them in-line with the ever-changing driving habits due to the improvement and developments involving motor vehicles.
He called on the government to consult road users before changing the laws as they will have to bear the brunt of the changes, especially if they fail to address the issues they face.
“New laws themselves are not enough, road maintenance is equally if not more important to prevent deaths during accidents. Bad roads could lead to fatal accidents.”
Syer said the lack of courtesy on Malaysian roads also led to accidents.
“Road users break traffic laws and they don’t bother to pay the fine because they know they will get a discount sometime in the near future. Such things hardly happen elsewhere. It is more likely for the fine to go up rather than down.
“Delivery drivers, too, play a role in road accidents as they ignore all kinds of laws such going against traffic flow and beating traffic lights, simply due to the lack of enforcement. With such activities, it will not be easy to reduce accidents.”
Syer said there are just as many selfish vehicle drivers as motorcyclist riders.
“Just drive in Kuala Lumpur any day of the week and you will observe bullies and double parking everywhere, but who cares? Who knows what courtesy is.”
