MELAKA: Few people realise that the familiar traffic lights in Malaysia - flashing five times before changing colour as an early warning for drivers to slow down - originated from an idea sparked nearly three decades ago by a journalist.
It all began with a moment that would stay etched in the memory of Ishak Mohamed Salleh, now 65, who was then working as a reporter with a Malay language daily here, in this historic state.
On Dec 6, 1996, he witnessed a devastating accident at the Jalan Munshi Abdullah-Jalan Bendahara junction involving a car and an ambulance.
Shaken by the tragedy that unfolded right before his eyes, Ishak channelled his concern the way he knew best - through words.
In his column Bingkisan Selatan, he proposed that traffic lights should flash five times before changing colour to give motorists an early visual cue to slow down.
"After witnessing that accident, I suggested that traffic lights flash five times so road users could better anticipate signal changes,” Ishak told Bernama.
What Ishak never expected was how far that idea would travel.
The proposal caught the attention of Melaka police and was later introduced as a pilot project at selected junctions before being expanded nationwide.
Over time, the simple yet effective measure helped drivers react earlier at intersections and is believed to have reduced rear-end collisions.
Looking back, the former editor-in-chief of Melaka Hari Ini speaks with quiet pride. What began as a journalist’s observation on the ground had evolved into a nationwide safety feature benefiting countless road users.
But that was not the only time Ishak’s ideas left a mark on public infrastructure.
Around the year 2000, while working in Johor, he found himself trapped in an exhausting traffic jam while returning from a badminton tournament in Singapore.
The bottleneck at the Johor-Singapore Causeway, then managed through a single immigration counter system, sparked yet another idea.
Ishak later proposed the creation of a ‘green lane’ system at the Causeway, suggesting multiple designated lanes to ease congestion.
"With the ‘green lane’, different categories of vehicles, such as solo drivers and passenger-filled cars, could be separated for passport checks, thus smoothing the flow of traffic on the causeway,” he recalled.
His vision eventually contributed to a more structured traffic system at the Causeway, helping ease one of the region’s busiest border crossings.
Ishak’s journey in journalism began humbly in 1987 as a part-time reporter with. Over the years, he went on to serve as an editor and later as publication manager.
He eventually stepped away from the newsroom in 2018 after serving as editor-in-chief of Melaka Hari Ini, following health complications affecting his memory due to a nerve condition.
Yet even after leaving the profession, his contributions have not been forgotten.
A father of three, Ishak recently received support under the Tabung Kasih@HAWANA initiative, presented personally by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil during a visit to his home.
The programme, implemented by the Communications Ministry through the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), recognises media practitioners who have contributed to the nation.
For Ishak, the gesture carries deep meaning. He also views national efforts such as the upcoming National Journalists’ Day (HAWANA) 2026, set for June 20 in Penang, as a powerful reminder that journalists remain central to nation-building.
"Journalists were always deemed the unsung heroes, the underappreciated. But with initiatives like this, we feel valued, and young journalists can see that this profession is actually important and very much respected,” he added.
From a flashing traffic light designed to save lives, to a green lane concept that eased cross-border congestion, Ishak Mohamed Salleh’s story is a reminder that sometimes, the most lasting public changes begin with a journalist simply paying attention, and choosing to write. - Bernama
