KUCHING: Police will conduct a statewide operation codenamed ‘Op Selamat’ starting Thursday (Feb 8), to reduce accident rates as well as ensure peace and security in conjunction with Chinese New Year.
The operation, which will run for six days until Feb 13, will involve a total of 850 police officers and members from various departments and branches in the Sarawak police headquarters.
State Police Commissioner Datuk Mancha Ata said the operation aimed to reduce the accident rate throughout the state, enforce traffic laws and regulations, create a sense of comfort and safety among road users, and to prevent house burglaries.
Police will also collaborate with the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) and the Sarawak Marine Department to ensure the safety of passengers using riverine transportation.
“Our police officers and members will be assigned to identified accident-prone hotspots throughout Sarawak, increase patrols and ensure that the traffic flow is smooth without any unfortunate incidents.
“Such an operation will focus on federal roads, state roads and town roads especially in areas where accidents and traffic congestion often occur, as well as residential areas and neighbourhoods.
“In addition, police will also focus on preventing criminal trespassing, on houses left behind by the tenants or owners by making periodic patrols to ensure the premises and houses are safe from crime.
“For the riverine aspect, we will mobilise the marine police force to monitor the riverine traffic flow in Sibu, Kapit, Belaga, Song, Kanowit, Tatau and others,” he said after launching the Chinese New Year ‘Ops Selamat’ yesterday (Feb 7).
On the figure of accidents occurring during festive seasons last year, he said police recorded a total of 521 cases from January to December, an increase of 109 cases compared to the same period in the previous year.
As for fatal accidents, Mancha said there were seven cases recorded last year, an increase of three cases compared to the four fatal accident cases the previous year.
Apart from accidents, there was a slight increase in house burglaries during the festive seasons where from January to December 2023, police recorded a total of 959 cases compared to 891 cases in the same period in 2022.
Mancha advised all road users to obey the traffic rules and instructions from on-duty enforcement officers on the roads throughout the festive season.
Strict actions can be taken against any road user found violating and not complying with traffic rules.
He also reminded the public to provide cooperation and inform the police when leaving their homes during this festive season.
The public can submit their information to the police by filling in the ‘Borang balik kampung’ at www.rmp.gov.my or the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) traffic portal, or through SMS to the Volunteer Smartphone Patrol (VSP) application, or through phone call to the nearest police station.
