Alexson hands a safety checklist to a bus driver during the operation. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: The police issued 20 summonses for different offences to bus drivers at Kuching Sentral yesterday.
Sarawak Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief Supt Alexson Naga Chabu said the check was part of the ongoing ‘Ops Selamat’ until Feb 12 in connection with the Chinese New Year celebration.
“We also tested 21 bus drivers for drugs. So far, none of them have failed the drug test. We also conducted checks on 11 buses at the terminal,” he told the media at the end of the two-hour operation.
The summonses issued were for not having a fire extinguisher on board (five), using worn-out tyres (five), faulty brake lights (five), and not having an emergency warning triangle (five).
Alexson said the operation involved 24 personnel of different ranks, including five from the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department.
“The reason for this operation is to ensure the safety of bus passengers, who are mostly returning to their hometowns for the Chinese New Year celebration,” he said.
He stressed that the police hope to greatly reduce the number of road accidents during the celebration compared to previous years.
From the start of the operation on Tuesday (Jan 29) until Thursday (Jan 31), a total of 167 accidents with two fatalities were recorded across Sarawak.
“This is an increase of 1.2 per cent within the same period last year,” said Alexson.
He advised road users to properly plan their journeys and ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy.
“If you feel sleepy, do stop at a safe location and have a 15-minute power nap,” he suggested, adding that having a second driver would be ideal for long journeys.
He added 750 traffic personnel would be deployed for ‘Ops Selamat’ to work with the Road Transport Department, Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board, and Fire and Rescue Department.