Liow: Way too many road accidents

PETALING JAYA: Road accidents took the lives of 7,152 and incurred a loss of about RM9.2bil in Malaysia last year, says Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

The number of accidents stood at 521,466, he said.

The Transport Minister cited data from Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research that stated that a person killed in a road accident would cost RM1.2mil, severe injury (RM120,000) and light injury (RM12,000) in medical cost and productivity loss, among others.

“It’s really serious. We have to control the accident rate in the country,” he told reporters after taking part in a radio programme at 988 and Suria FM.

Motorcyclists continue to record a high death rate at 62.7%, compared to car drivers (20.8%), pedestrians (7.1%) and lorries (2.6%).

The death rate from road accidents rose slightly from 2.55 person for every 10,000 registered vehicles in 2015 to 2.59 person last year.

“We need to cultivate a safety culture not just in factories and work places but also on the roads,” Liow said.

Low and middle-income households are more affected by the aftermath of road accidents, accor­ding to a 2015 global study on road safety published by the World Health Organisation.

“Many families are driven deeper into poverty by the loss of a breadwinner, or by the expenses of prolonged medical care or the added burden of caring for a family member who is disabled from a road traffic injury,” the study noted.

Liow said his ministry would take measures such as making it mandatory for motorcyclists to wear helmets, encouraging them to wear reflective jackets and improving road systems nationwide to keep road fatality low.

The ministry, he said, was also planning to hire the Japan International Cooperation Agency to conduct an in-depth traffic study on Malaysia.

Liow, who is Bentong MP, said in his Chinese New Year interview with 988 that Bentong had the potential to become a satellite city to the Greater Kuala Lumpur area.

Despite Bentong becoming an aging town with youngster moving out to the cities, he believed tourism activities promoting heritage and natural sites around the area, and property development could create job opportunities for the youth.

Meanwhile, the MCA publicity department said in statement that a kaigong (work resumption) ceremony was held at Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur after a seven-day break for Chinese New Year.

The sounding of drums and gongs accompanied the golden lion dance and fluorescent-hued dragon, gi­­ving the place a festive air and goodwill for a better year ahead.

Among MCA top brass present were Liow, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan and vice-president Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.