On Oct 31, 2010, I highlighted in my blog news asking what has happened to the implementation of speed limiter installation for long-haul express buses that I spearheaded last year when I was transport minister.
Is it because the idea was hatched by me, that the present minister Dato' Seri Kong Cho Ha has refused to act and implement ? If so, this is really tragic and Kong must be taken to task.
I had raised the matter of speed limiters after the express bus tragedy on the North-South Highway near the Simpang Ampat toll plaza on Oct 10, 2010, in which 13 people were killed.
I also stressed the need to act urgently, to stop wasting time, to stop wasting more lives. Unfortunately to those who perished on Monday, the transport minister and his ministry did not respond or clarify the matter.
Yesterday, Kong announced the cabinet had ordered an independent probe on the crash and that the Board of Inquiry would also look into the overall structure of commercial vehicle operations.
It is also a tragedy to Malaysians that the minister and ministry officials, particularly the Road Safety Department ( Jabatan Keselamatan Jalan Raya ) had remained recalcitrant, ignoring public calls to implement the speed limiter installation which could have prevented many cases of road crash.
I am also shocked why a double-deck bus was allowed to ply such a hilly terrain. It is indeed very illogical.
The proposed implementation of the speed limiters rule is a proactive measure to help reduce fatal road crashes involving such buses. The ministry is now duty bound to explain what has happened to the implementation.
Any further and unnecessary delay will cost lives, I had told reporters in Parliament in response to MPs clamouring for speed limiters to be fitted to express buses.
I was appointed the lead minister in charge of urban public transport under the National Key Result Area (NKRA) in 2009, and our top concern was fatal road accidents involving public transport.
The Road Transport Department (RTD) and the Road Safety Department were directed to study the matter and come up with workable and proactive measures to curb such rising fatal crashes.
We also decided to join the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) which brings together governments and governmental agencies, the private sector and civil society organisations to address road safety issues.
GRSP is a programme hosted by the Geneva-based International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
I then directed that the fitting of speed limiters on to express buses be introduced with advocacy.
Unfortunately, after I was dropped from the cabinet, nothing has been heard about it, despite constant reminders.
Speed limiters are more effective in tackling speedsters than just having the Global Positioning System (GPS).
The GPS can only be used to monitor the movement of vehicles and calculate the time used by the driver to complete his journey.
It does not solve the problem of speeding. So, the implementation of speed limiters is urgent. In the interest of public, I reiterate to the minister and the ministry to stop dilly-dallying on a matter that concerns the people’s lives.
The public has the right to know the status and progress of the implementation of speed limiters to help save lives.
Of course there is financial consideration of having to install the devices. But between financial consideration and public safety, it is obvious which is more important.
Why is the implementation delayed with no conspicuous action?
To those who prefer to harp on the same platitude of enhancing awareness on road safety as the most effective way to curb road crash, please do open your eyes to the reality that speedsters remain the main culprits in most cases of crash.
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