1 day Ago By Audrey Dermawan
GEORGE TOWN: The current rate of road fatalities in Penang is deeply concerning, with recent statistics revealing that 80 per cent of road deaths in the state are caused by accidents involving motorcyclists, says the Penang government.State Infrastructure and Transport Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said that, according to the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso), commuting accidents among employees had doubled over the past two decades, showing no signs of decreasing.He said that in 2023 alone, Perkeso recorded a total of 38,458 commuting accidents — a 54 per cent increase compared to 2003, which had seen just 17,609 reported cases.
"The Commuting Safety Management System (CAMS) study reveals that 59 per cent of accidents occur on the way to work, while 41 per cent happen on the way home. These figures align with Perkeso's findings, which reported 52.1 per cent of accidents occurring en route to work and 36 per cent on the return journey.
"The study also found that 68.8 per cent of accidents involved workers on the morning shift, and more than half of these incidents occurred within 5km of their workplace. Clearly, the country requires a new approach to achieve better and different results," he said in his speech at the World Day for Safety & Health at Work – Towards Safer Commuting 2025 event held here today.
Zairil also praised Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd for their initiative in developing the CAMS, stressing that the Penang government was proud to support this initiative, as reflected by the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between USM and the state government today.Through this MoU, the state government's continued commitment will be demonstrated via the establishment of the CAMS Programme Monitoring Committee, chaired by the Divisional Secretary of the State Economic Planning Division (BPEN), and the adoption of CAMS as an official road safety initiative under the Penang Road Safety Council.Expanding on the initiative, Zairil said that the CAMS pilot project at the Batu Kawan Industrial Park (BKIP) had yielded promising results.
He said that focused intervention over the past five years had resulted in zero accidents over a 10-month period among new employees who received immediate safety riding training, whereas previously, most would have been involved in accidents within just two to four weeks of employment."Notably, there has also been a reduction in hand injuries due to the introduction of safety gloves, which are provided upon completion of the Intermediate Level Safety Riding training under the CAMS initiative."The success of this project is due to a strong synergy among three key entities: the university, the state government, and industry players.
Universiti Sains Malaysia plays a vital role through data collection, monitoring, and intervention. "The Penang government facilitates engagement with agencies and industries. Meanwhile, the industry actively participates in implementing interventions, monitoring their riders, and sharing relevant data.
"A systematic reporting platform, supported by mobile and web-based applications, has also been developed by the CAMS project to ensure quicker incident reporting and more efficient real-time data analysis for proactive action."Road safety is a shared responsibility. Each of us has a role to play.
Only through collective commitment can we ensure safer journeys for all Malaysians," he said.© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd.
