KUALA LUMPUR – In the wake of yet another tragic road accident involving a heavy vehicle, MCA Youth Information Chief and Barisan Nasional (BN) Youth Communications Director Neow Choo Seong has made an impassioned plea for urgent reform in Malaysia’s road safety regulations, particularly targeting the oversight and maintenance of lorries and other commercial transport vehicles.
Expressing condolences to the families affected by the recent fatal incidents, including a crash involving a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) truck in Teluk Intan and another case where a Prison Department staff member was fatally crushed by a lorry allegedly due to brake failure, Neow called the string of incidents a “national wake-up call”.
“If these numbers are not enough to horrify both the public and the government, then how many more lives must we lose before real change happens?” he asked solemnly.
From 2019 to the end of 2024, Malaysia recorded 1,457 deaths from 3,500 accidents involving lorries and heavy vehicles, with 260 deaths in 2024 alone, making it the second deadliest year after 2019, which saw 274 such fatalities.
Neow said these figures point to a long-standing issue of poor enforcement and insufficient regulation around vehicle maintenance. He highlighted systemic failures, from unserviced brake systems to the absence of rigorous inspection schedules, as major contributors to these often preventable tragedies.
He further cited efforts by former Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong to amend the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), which introduced stiffer penalties for drunk, drugged, and reckless driving. Neow urged current Minister of Transport, YB Anthony Loke, to follow suit by strengthening laws that govern the maintenance and inspection of commercial vehicles.
“Just as penalties were increased for reckless drivers, there must be equal accountability for transport companies that neglect their duty to maintain safe vehicles,” Neow stressed.
He acknowledged the transport ministry’s recent move to approve three additional vehicle inspection companies as a step in the right direction but argued that it must be accompanied by legislative reform and stronger enforcement mechanisms.
Neow’s statement also touched on the shared responsibility of all parties: government agencies, logistics companies, and road users, in safeguarding the lives of innocent Malaysians. He emphasised that this call to action was not politically driven but motivated by a common moral duty.
“This is not a political issue; it’s a human one. We can prevent these deaths. And we must act together, decisively, to prevent more families from suffering unnecessary loss,” he said.
In closing, Neow appealed directly to the Minister of Transport to review and strengthen existing regulations and to consider imposing harsher penalties not only on negligent drivers but also on fleet operators who fail to ensure the roadworthiness of their vehicles.
As the country reels from another round of road fatalities, his message echoes louder than ever: the time for half-measures is over; lives depend on decisive leadership and firm action. -MalayaDailyToday
