KUCHING: The Pan Borneo Sarawak Safety Advocation Roadshow programme is set to be held across 12 divisions in the state.
Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development Aidel Lariwoo said the programme is an awareness campaign aimed at providing information and raising awareness among the public through briefings on traffic regulations, advocacy, and safety aspects on the Pan Borneo Sarawak Highway.
He said this is an important initiative that provides exposure and awareness, as the use of highways is still relatively new among the people of Sarawak.
“This continuous advocacy programme is an effort to provide education and guidance to road users so that they will always comply with traffic regulations when using the Pan Borneo Sarawak Highway.
“Approximately 200 to 400 community leaders and village heads who are invited through the resident and district offices will participate in each briefing session.
“Following this, they will share the acquired information and knowledge with their respective communities,” he said in his speech during the launching of the programme at Dewan Baitulmal here today (July 15).
Aidel anticipated that the programme would be successful in preventing the dangerous manoeuvres that have led to accidents, such as illegal U-turns at intersection points and driving against traffic flow, that have been highlighted in social media postings.
He disclosed that there have also been cases of theft and vandalism at facilities along the Pan Borneo Highway.
“This year alone, we have seen an increase in the number of accidents along the Pan Borneo Highway, particularly during the festive seasons.
“I hope that all participants will return to their respective areas and share the knowledge and information with their communities,” he said.
For the record, this programme is jointly organised by the Public Works Department Sarawak together with the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), the Road Transport Department Sarawak, and the management of Pan Borneo Highway Sdn Bhd (PLPS).
