PUTRAJAYA: A total of 2,200 Road Transport Department (JPJ) personnel will be assigned to ensure road safety during the Chinese New Year festive season, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
He said during the implementation of the Chinese New Year operation between Jan 25 and Feb 8, JPJ personnel would travel on express buses disguised as passengers to monitor drivers.
Dr Wee also said that JPJ personnel would also conduct monitoring activities at 14 locations along major expressways and special ops for motorcycles nationwide.
He added that voluntary vehicle inspection by Puspakom and awareness programmes will also be held to educate motorists.
Dr Wee then said that there were 23,208 road accidents with 230 deaths reported during Ops Selamat in 2020, adding the figures recorded within two weeks of the campaign were worrying.
He called on motorists to abide by road regulations and practice safe driving so that accidents can be avoided, especially during the festive seasons.
Dr Wee also said that a new Road Safety Plan has been launched with the aim of reducing road fatalities from some 6,000 deaths in 2019 by 50% in eight years' time.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said this was in line with the target and resolution set by the United Nations on improving global road safety.
He said the top item on the list was creating better advocacy and awareness so that road users know their responsibilities and adopt better discipline on the road.
"Even with enforcement, it is the awareness of one's responsibility as a motorist that can help bring down the death toll. That is why the plan will go big on creating awareness among road users," he said after launching the Road Safety Plan 2022-2030 and the Chinese New Year road safety campaign here on Thursday (Jan 27).
Dr Wee said the plan also entailed advocacy programmes for road users through, among others, media campaigns, voluntary vehicle inspection by Puspakom and collaboration with the private sector.
He noted that there were 23,208 road accidents with 230 deaths reported during Ops Selamat in 2020.
"This number of deaths which occurred within two weeks is worrying, This is an indication that road safety literacy among road users has yet to reach a satisfactory level. That is why we will have more advocacy
