Group effort: Team Safety Squad bagging the national top prize.
THEIR school’s close proximity to fast-moving traffic makes road safety a daily concern for both pupils and teachers at SJK (C) Chung Hua Tudan in Miri, Sarawak.
In fact, the high-speed Jalan Kuala Baram Bypass, beside which the school is located, is reportedly one of Miri’s top five accident-prone roads.
Guided by their teachers, Team Safety Squad, comprising 10 pupils, initiated a project to improve road safety around their school.
Their school-wide engagement and advocacy work led them to emerge as the national champion at the VIA Safe Mobility Competition, earning the school a €5,000 (RM23,574) grant to implement and promote their initiatives.
The team also represented Malaysia at the VIA Safe Mobility Regional International Finals, where they competed against national champions from countries like India, Iraq and Romania.
Anchoring their project on mobility challenges around the school, the pupils conducted an on-site observational audit of the drop-off area and pedestrian zones, documenting vehicle flow and foot traffic during peak hours.
Their observation highlighted critical behavioural risks, such as low helmet-safety awareness among Year One to Year Three pupils and the use of old or damaged helmets among younger riders.
Raising awareness: Pupils engaging in Team Safety Squad’s campaign.
To turn their findings into action, the pupils submitted a written request to the Miri City Council for a designated zebra crossing outside the school. The council has since initiated technical assessments and engineers have completed initial site measurements.
The team also rolled out a safety campaign under the theme “See + Go = Safe. Helmet On, Worries Gone”, combining school-based education with community engagement.
Activities included the VIA Safe Mobility Camp, which reached more than 1,200 pupils; drawing competitions; an interactive road-safety assembly attended by over 60 teachers; a community Road Safety Carnival; a Walk for Safe Mobility at Taman Bulatan Miri involving parents and staff; and peer-to-peer sessions at SMK Pujut Miri, reaching an additional 1,000 secondary students.
The VIA Safe Mobility programme is a global educational initiative aimed at improving mobility conditions for young people. Launched by TotalEnergies Malaysia in collaboration with Arus Academy, it localises the curriculum to address Malaysia’s road-safety challenges.
Since its introduction in 2022, the programme has reached 81 schools nationwide and trained 2,632 student ambassadors and 121 teachers. Arus Academy supports the rollout with teacher coaching, interactive modules, and digital resources via the Education Ministry’s DELIMa platform.
For the 2025 edition, the national competition and the regional finals were conducted virtually on Oct 9 and Nov 27, respectively.
TotalEnergies marketing Malaysia sales director Patricia Law underscored the company’s commitment to empowering students to build safer school environments and be advocates for positive change.
“Safety is a fundamental value, especially when it comes to the communities where we operate,” she said.
Arus Academy co-founder David Chak said students learn best when solving real problems that matter to them.
“The VIA Safe Mobility programme has shown how powerful this approach can be. Each year, we see students taking ownership of their projects, building critical thinking skills, and working collaboratively to advocate for safer mobility in their communities. Team Safety Squad’s effort is a strong example of how authentic learning can create meaningful impact,” he said.
