KUCHING: The authorities have been told to look into providing more motorcycle lanes in the city to bring down the rate of fatal accidents involving motorcyclists and pillion riders.This call came from Kuching Bicycle and Motor Traders Association (KBMTA) chairman Lu Kim Yong, who felt that the safety of motorcyclists and pillion riders must not be neglected given the rising number of road accidents involving these users.
“We are always concerned about the safety of motorcyclists and pillion riders as road accidents involving them are alarming.
“Therefore, we urge the relevant authorities to build more motorcycle lanes to minimise the risk of fatal road accidents,” he said at the association’s 54th anniversary dinner at Thian Court here on Sunday.
Lu also pointed out that motorcycle theft remained a problem to industry players particularly those providing hire purchase services to their customers.
“Enforcement parties namely Road Transport Department (JPJ), Police and Customs Department have to tighten security measures to curb illegal smuggling and sales of stolen motorcycles,” he reiterated.
On another note, he said that enhanced air connectivity and having more direct vessels from major ports to Kuching would help cut down freight charges thereby reducing operational costs of traders.
JPJ senior assistant director Mohd Syafiq Anas Abdullah lauded the association for responding to the government’s call to upgrade professionalism among its members.
He was glad that 55 members had received their Motorcycle Technical Supervisory Level Three Certificates issued by the Skills Development Department under the Ministry of Human Resources.
According to Syafiq these certificates are a recognition of the recipients’ years of on-the-job experience as mechanics and to certify their level of competency as set out by the National Occupational Skills Standard.
In this regard, he hoped that the association would organise more road safety campaigns especially during festive seasons to heighten awareness among the people so as to reduce fatal accidents.
Quoting official statistics, Malaysia Motorcycle and Scooter Dealers Association vice-president Lim Hock Chye said the number of registered motorcycles as of February this year stood at 87,800 units, up 8,000 units or 10 per cent against the corresponding period last year.
He added that last year alone, the total number of registered motorcycles was 441,500.
Lim was confident that the sales figure would go up following the recovering global economy.
At the dinner, the association also donated RM5,000 in aid of earthquake victims in Yushu, Qinghai province, China.