The Ministry of Transport Sarawak is currently looking for more viable ways to address the traffic situation in school areas across the state.

Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin says his ministry is aware of such scenario happening in major urban and suburban areas in Sarawak.

“In Kuching, there are jams in the morning when parents send their children to school, and again in the afternoon, when they fetch the children.

“It’s the same scenario in other major areas such as Miri, Bintulu and Sibu.

“This is a situation that poses a great challenge to be solved, because there are many factors that need to be considered including the location of many major schools being in the heart of the city or town,” he said in his speech for the ‘Transport – Awareness Behaviour Change’ (T-ABC) programme at Sarawak Islamic Complex hall here yesterday.

In this regard, Lee believed that the greater emphasis should be placed on changing the behaviour of the road users and increasing awareness and understanding of compliance with the road regulations.

“This is why my ministry have invited secondary school students, representatives of the teachers association and PTAs (parent-teacher associations) from around Kuching Division to this T-ABC programme.

“From the papers being presented in this event, we are sharing the information with the participants about how we can play our respective roles in solving the problem of road congestion, especially in school areas,” he said.

It is informed that the statewide T-ABC programme highlights road safety and awareness, as well as efforts meant to encourage the usage of public transport.

“This programme aims to persuade behavioural changes in road users, looking at three perspectives, namely road safety for drivers and pedestrians, alertness on traffic regulations and promotion of usage of public transport.

“Through T-ABC, we want to change the way people behave on the road, avoiding unwanted behaviours that may contribute to accidents and traffic congestion, inappropriate parking, dangerous acts, risky driving, and bully drivers.

“We have learned from transport experts that unwanted behaviours among the users stand as one of the major factors contributing to unsafe situation on the road and also road congestion,” said Lee.

Also present at the event yesterday was Deputy Minister I for Transport Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by MATTHEW UMPANG

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