SIBU: Dudong Assemblyman Datuk Tiong Thai King yesterday launched the Sibu Division road safety campaign in conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year (CNY). The integrated safety campaign held at every festive season is aimed at ensuring better road safety during such ‘balik kampung’ (back to village) season.
The campaign was jointly organised by State Road Safety Department (JKJR), Sibu Division Road Safety Council, Sibu Resident’s Office, Sibu District Office, traffic police and Road Transport Department (JPJ). During the campaign, pamphlets and goodies bag were distributed to the road users.
Apart from that, exchanging of the safety helmets to motorcyclists who are still using helmets that do not meet the criteria for a helmet that is permitted by the authorities was also being held during the campaign.
Meanwhile, road safety campaigns proved effective as road accident cases showed a decline for two consecutive years (2016 and 2017).
Based on the statistic by the Sibu police headquarters, there were 2339 road accident cases in 2016, and it further dropped to 2191 in 2017.
While, 176 road accident cases were recorded as at January 2018. Out of the 2339 accidents in 2016, 44 were fatal accidents, three were serious ones and the remaining 2292 were minor accidents.
Sibu deputy resident Wong Hee Sieng, Temenggong Stanley Geramong, and Pemanca James Semilan were among those present at the launch of the campaign.
