KUCHING: Christmas Day Ops will see stringent efforts taken by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) through its strategic enforcement literacy.
Sarawak JPJ Director Norizan Jili said this follows the increased number of road accidents that has risen up by 0.70 percent up to September alone.
He said based on police data, road accidents in 2021 recorded 15,836 cases while this year saw the number jump up to 15,947 cases, up to September.
“For this year alone, the number of fatal accidents increased from 208 to 248 cases.
“Therefore, we are very serious, especially in reducing the number of deaths and injuries due to road accidents every year, at least 50 percent by the year 2030, based on the Conference Resolution 74/299 (August 31, 2020) of the United Nations (UN),” he said, during the bus inspection operations at Kuching Sentral today (Dec 22).
Norizan said the operations emphasised advocacy and enforcement activities, including bus inspections at three bus terminals in the state, namely in Kuching, Sibu and Miri.
“Among the methods adopted are impersonating express bus passengers, monitoring hotspots along the highway, implementing Perception of Being Caught (POBC) on patrol, monitoring the location of blackspots (locations where road accidents often occur) as well as nationwide Ops Khas Motorsikal.
“Through these efforts, we will make full use of the assets and enforcement teams involving the operation of the Motorcycle Enforcement Unit (UPB) and the operation of the Enforcement Station (SPK),” he added.
In addition, Sarawak JPJ is focused on stricter enforcement actions on nine major offences such as driving over the speed limit, disobeying traffic signals, overtaking on double lines, driving in the emergency lane, cutting the queue, texting and driving, not wearing seat belts or helmets, and carrying overweight and dangerous cargos.
Norizan added that the department also cooperated with other agencies including the police, the National Registration Department (JPN), the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) and the Immigration Department (JIM) to curb fatalities and bring down the numbers of road accident cases in the state.
He said, the public is also expected to play its part by reporting traffic offences throughout the period of the operations.
The public can submit complaints using the JPJ Info application via the e-ADUAN@JPJ menu or via aduantrafik@jpi.gov.my.
Also present was the deputy director of JPJ Sarawak Erick Jusiang and enforcement division chief Maya Morshidi.
