Over 3,300 lives lost to road accidents nationwide from Jan-Sept 2021, says Dr Wee

AYER HITAM: Some 3,302 lives were lost nationwide from January to September last year due to road accidents, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

"As of September last year, 3,302 deaths due to road accidents were recorded compared to 4,634 deaths in 2020.

"The 29% drop in such cases takes into consideration the movement control order (MCO) that was in place since Jan 13," he said in a Facebook post on Saturday (Jan 22).

He said this after gracing a Road Safety campaign at Dewan Muafakat Ayer Hitam here.

The Ayer Hitam MP also noted that the Ayer Hitam - Jemaluang road (F50) recorded the third highest number of fatal road accidents between 2016 and 2018.

"This includes 34 lives that were lost in 2016 and 22 each for 2017 and 2018. Hence, the issue of road safety needs to be taken seriously as it involves people's life and public safety," said Dr Wee.

"The issue of road safety is close to my heart, especially as I am the Transport Minister," he added, saying that the government has provided various programs, initiatives and measures to solve and improve the issue.

Dr Wee also said that positive attitudes need to be instilled among road users to ensure that they are continuously careful on the road.

"All layers of society, both old and young, need to work together to contribute to the effort of reducing road accidents," he said.

He also noted that on Nov 11 last year, he and Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof had officiated the ground-breaking ceremony and handing over of the acceptance letter to contractors for improvement works of the Batu Pahat - Ayer Hitam - Kluang road.

The RM219mil project is expected to be completed by October 25, 2024.

Also present at the event were Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) director-general Datuk Dr Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim, Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Zailani Hashim and Yong Peng district officer Mohd Haniff Ahmad.