VIEWPOINT
During a road safety forum in December 2003, I proposed that private companies be appointed to assist the authorities in conducting surveillance to overcome the shortage of enforcement officers and static cameras.
My proposals were reported in several English dailies and published full-page in a Malay broadsheet newspaper. Had the authorities adopted my idea, it would have prevented thousands of road accidents, saved hundreds of lives and nabbed dozens of polluters.
More than 16 years ago, a few static cameras were already installed in the streets of Kuala Lumpur, but they were no deterrent because most motorists were not aware of their presence or many were not functioning.
Instead of waiting for more funds to install additional static cameras, I proposed that mobile camera crews be stationed near traffic flights to record motorists and motorcyclists jumping red lights or causing gridlocks in yellow boxes, or at highways to capture those using emergency lanes to jump queues.
Appointed companies could recruit and train ex-servicemen as camera crews and receive payments based on evidence submitted to the enforcement agencies for summonses to be issued.
However, these camera crews should not conceal their presence and must operate openly and don bright uniforms to deter traffic offences and street crimes. When it is the norm for motorcyclists not to stop at traffic lights, it emboldens some to become snatch thieves, knowing that escape routes are always fully open.
These camera crews could easily record hundreds of illegal parked vehicles within a very short time if assigned by the traffic police or local authority. They could also proceed to hot spots to record illegal burning or dumping, either by the roadside or into drains and rivers.
Under this arrangement, not a single sen would have to be spent by the government and it could have raked in billions of ringgit in fines, while making our country and roads safer, and environment cleaner.
In recent years, I have been urging the authorities to enlist the help from millions of motorists on our roads daily by getting those interested to install high quality dashboard cameras (dashcams) and paying them for submitting evidence of traffic offences such as reckless driving, crossing double lines and jumping lights.
Those who wish to participate must sign up and adhere to the terms and conditions, such as not singling out any motorist just to be vengeful or contacting the offenders with intent to blackmail, and vigilante in any form is strictly not allowed.
In February, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) director-general Dr Siti Zaharah Ishak said the installation of dashcams was in tandem with the efforts of Miros and the Transport Ministry to encourage the public to be the “eyes and ears” of the authorities in providing information, including on road accidents.
Earlier, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said he was aware of the benefits of dashcams but added that the government had no plan to make it compulsory for all motorists to install the gadget as it did not wish to impose an additional financial burden on them.
While this may be true, it would be better if the government appoint companies to use camera crews to assist in surveillance and concerned motorists to participate using high quality dashcams to record traffic offences.
Moreover, the enforcement agencies do not have to share or lose powers as they are still in full control whether to issue summonses, allowing them to be compounded or prosecute offenders in court.
While enforcement agencies are responsible to propose new or amend existing laws to be passed in Parliament, they are equally responsible to enforce it. Not having enough enforcement officers or they cannot be present everywhere all the time are no longer excusable, as the public could be roped in using technology as the eyes and ears.
If we have kept pace with technology, the authorities would have appointed high-tech companies using drones to offer better safety and security for our citizens and millions of tourists that visit our country monthly, apart from monitoring illegal logging and farming.
Malaysians are not short of ideas, but many things failed to get implemented because they were no political will. If there is anything worse than this, then it could be the case of the powers that be asking “What’s in it for me?”
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
