CLOSE to 7,000 Malaysians lost their lives on Malaysian roads last year, revealed a think-tank on Penang recently.
It was also revealed that the national fatality rate involving road accidents was 22.5 deaths per 100,000, above the global average of 15, and Southeast Asia’s second highest only after Thailand.
The talk was hosted by the Penang Institute (PI) with two panellists - Dr Krishnan Rajam (a public health expert) and Noorazrein Noorazlan Ong (director of enforcement from the Penang Island City Council).
Under the theme of Vision Zero: Improving Road Safety for Better Public Health, the panellists shared that despite the alarming figures, the traditional approach to road safety has only perpetuated the high death toll amongst road users, especially motorcyclists who make up 59% of road fatalities.
In Penang, a motorcycle-dominant city, any road user can attest that road safety is a salient issue and might be worth exploring radical approaches such as imposing higher penalties.
In a separate event, Penang Institute executive director Datuk Ooi Kee Beng along with Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong and Penang state executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari relaunched the institute's engagement tool - the Penang Monthly magazine.
The magazine was relaunched with new content and a new masthead in conjunction with its 15th-anniversary celebrations. - October 10, 2024.
