KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) urged the government to step up its efforts to prevent road accidents, following the tragic death of five students in a collision with two trailers in Perak.
Speaking to The Vibes, MTUC vice-president Matkar Siwang said that the Transport Ministry and Malaysian Highway Authority should take the necessary steps to reduce the number of misfortunes on the road.
“Some vital initiatives include aggressive road safety awareness campaigns and placing more visible road safety signages in dangerous locations,” he said.
Claiming that the Menora tunnel area has become an “accident-prone” zone, he stressed that the Road Safety Department under the ministry should immediately carry out a study to determine the cause of allegedly frequent crashes in the area.
Last year, several accidents were reported within the vicinity of the tunnel.
In April, 14 passengers and the driver of an express bus were injured when the vehicle skidded and veered onto the road shoulder before landing on its side in a drain at KM265 of the North-South Expressway southbound after the Menora tunnel.
A local man was killed, while three other sustained injuries in an accident the following month involving three cars and a motorcycle at KM246.3 of the same highway.
Meanwhile, Matkar extended a hand to the government, saying that MTUC is willing to collaborate and participate in any initiative the ministry undertakes to address the problem of repeated accidents.
“During safety seminars regularly organised by MTUC, we include the topic of commuting accidents to highlight the role workers play in accident prevention,” he added.
Early yesterday morning, five youths burnt to death after the car they were travelling in caught fire from a collision with two trailers at KM246 of the North-South Expressway northbound near Kuala Kangsar early this morning.
Police have since arrested the 28-year-old driver of the trailer, which was laden with metal fences, to assist probes into the accident, with the man being detained under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
According to Perak police chief Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid, initial investigations found that the accident occurred when a trailer ferrying mosaic tiles, heading north, drove in the right lane as the left lane from KM246 to KM244.4 was closed for road maintenance.
“At the same time, a Honda City car was following behind the trailer when suddenly another trailer carrying metal fences, driving from the same direction, could not brake in time and crashed into the back of the car.
“The trailer then pushed it forward until the car hit the rear of the trailer ferrying mosaic tiles,” he said.
The five victims were students of Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah.
Among them were Muhammad Nasrun Aidol Munir Akbar, 22, who was driving the car, and front passenger, Ahmad Naim Najmi Ahmad Hafizan, 21.
Three others, Muhammad Nabil Haikal Muhammad Fariz, 19, Ahmad Akmal Ahmad Mokhlis, 20, and Iqbal Hasnun Halimi, 23, were seated in the back.
Naim’s remains was buried at the Kijal Muslim cemetery in Chukai, Terengganu at 8.15am today, following a funeral prayer his university’s mosque after Isyak prayers yesterday. – The Vibes, May 13, 2022
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