KUALA LUMPUR: Fatal accidents saw close to a 17% spike during Ops Selamat in conjunction with the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive periods, while the total number of accidents in the same period rose by 1%, says Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail (pic).
“A total of 9,934 accident cases were recorded during this year compared with 9,859 cases previously, while fatal accidents rose from 77 cases to 90,” said the Inspector-General of Police during the Ops Selamat appreciation event on Friday night.
Mohd Khalid added that 144,726 summonses were issued nationwide, marking an increase of 37,361 or 34.8% compared with 107,365 during the previous Ops Selamat.
“I urge all road users to always obey traffic laws, remain patient, ensure their vehicles are in good condition, and get sufficient rest before travelling.”
The IGP said a total of 747 crime cases were recorded during the implementation of Ops Selamat this year, a decrease of 111 cases compared with the previous year.
“The success of both operations was largely attributed to the vital role played by personnel from the Mobile Patrol Vehicle and the Motorcycle Patrol Unit.
“Their role as first responders in crime prevention and control is not only swift, but also reflects their preparedness in conducting regular patrols involving 61,122 houses, which in turn helped reduce crime cases.”
Mohd Khalid said the efforts by the Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department were further supported by the Volunteer Smartphone Patrol (VSP) application, which has now recorded more than 1.7 million registered users.
“During Ops Selamat, a total of 16,889 users utilised the balik kampung notification module, compared with 8,036 previously, more than double the number,” he added.
However, Mohd Khalid expressed concern over the increase in road accidents and fatal crashes recorded during the operations.
He said despite various efforts undertaken to ensure road safety, all parties must acknowledge that significant challenges remain.
