VOON SHIAK NI: Conduct a survey to pool together feedback for the road safety of all.
KUCHING: A consultation body should be called to collect public opinions to enhance road safety in the state.
Wanita PKR vice-chief Voon Shiak Ni, who proposed this yesterday, said it was inappropriate for the authorities to attribute the majority of road accidents to human factors.
“Instead of pointing fingers at the negligence of road users in road accidents, the government should conduct a survey to gather feedback for the road safety of all.
“It is very irresponsible for Minister of Infrastructure Development and Communications Dato Sri Michael Manyin to rule out poor road condition as a contributing factor,” she told a press conference here.
Voon said the government owed a duty of care to its people, hence should be more concerned about the high rate of road accidents.
Citing as an example, she said the Singapore government had initiated some anti-accident measures in view of a fatal accident involving a lorry and a bicycle.
“There will be a public consultation in Singapore where cyclists, motorists and pedestrians are to give their feedback on road safety.
“I do not see why our government cannot learn from Singapore, especially given the fact that our road conditions leave much to be desired.”
She added that the Pan-Borneo trunk road, where a couple of stretches are accident prone, had taken many lives over the years.
There should be no reason for the government to sit on the issue, she said, pointing out a lack of fund would not help.
“The accident prone zones along the Pan-Borneo trunk road should be improved immediately and the lack of fund does not make a sensible reason.
“Let’s take a look at Mile 11th to 15th of Kuching-Serian Road.
“The people here have been very patient with the road being narrow and the absence of street lighting.”
Voon cautioned that Sarawakians would find it hard to take a lack of fund as a reason to deprive them of quality road access.
“We hope the government can do whatever is necessary to at least cut down the risk of road accidents and consequently reduce lives lost in fatal crashes.”