Ting (fifth left) and Prithipal (back row, first right) with Roadgineers, the winning team from UiTM Shah Alam.
MIRI: Team ‘Roadgineers’ from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam emerged as the champion of the #ShellSelamatSampai Varsity Challenge which concluded yesterday.
They walked away with the grand prize of RM10,000, a coveted trophy and a certificate.
The challenge is an inter-university competition involving a road safety project that will shape the new road safety landscape, involving 11 teams from Curtin University Malaysia, Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN) Miri and UiTM Shah Alam.
The event was organised by Sarawak Shell Berhad under its iconic road safety flagship initiative #ShellSelamatSampai which is in collaboration with the Road Safety Department, Road Transport Department, Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), Public Works Department, residents’ associations, local councils, local district offices as well as several schools, colleges and universities.
Launched last year, #ShellSelamatSampai has reached out to 40,000 members of the community and more than 10,000 students nationwide from 35 schools, including ten schools in Sarawak.
Speaking at the prize presentation ceremony yesterday, Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting praised the organiser for putting the event together, saying that it was a good way to inculcate a good attitude towards road safety among the younger generation.
“Road safety management should evolve in its approach, as we have come to a different era where technology has become an important part of our everyday life.
“What we have done in the past may be applicable then but it is time for us to adapt and refresh ourselves with the evolving methods in promoting road safety,” he said, urging young people to be given the opportunity to take the lead in road safety management.
He added that while looking up to experienced veterans in road safety, there is plenty of room to accommodate the innovative ideas and great minds of the millennials.
Sarawak Shell health, security, safety and environment (HSSE) general manager Prithipal Singh who also spoke at the function stressed that safety has always been part of the company’s DNA.
“The #ShellSelamatSampai Varsity Challenge is an inter-varsity competition on a road safety intervention project between selected institutions,” he disclosed.
He added that the 11 teams participating in the challenge comprised five members each and were given eight weeks to implement their project and another two weeks to complete their final report.
“Each team was furnished with a start-up fund of RM1,000 and had a Shell staff member as a mentor.
“We managed to get a number of brilliant ideas and proposals from these young minds who have presented their unique approach,” he said.
Prithipal added that some teams opted to introduce innovative technical devices in mitigating traffic issues and went beyond expectation.
Other teams decided to go with technology applications and interesting materials like blind-spot detection using laser-function, light emitting sensors, speeding alert system, driver fatigue detection, ignition control and reflective signages that glow in the dark.