By NELSON BENJAMIN and MOHD FARHAN SHAH
From Star Online

JOHOR BARU: This year’s Ops Sikap in Johor held in conjunction with Chinese New Year will focus on 40 accident-prone sites in addition to monitoring trunk roads and highways. State internal security, public order and traffic chief Supt T. Raveendran said that 300 personnel would be deployed in the two-week operation that began yesterday and due to end on Feb 21. “The focus is accident-prone areas. We will also monitor the usual roads that are congested before and after Chinese New Year. “We will carry out checks on motorcyclists who make up 60% of the road deaths in the state,” he said.

Supt Raveendran said that police personnel would be assigned to static duty at accident-prone areas and conduct speed traps. The operation would include emergency-response teams on the North-South Highway in Sedenak, Yong Peng and Tangkak and a team in every district, he said. These teams would comprise personnel from the police, Fire and Rescue Department, Red Crescent Society and Civil Defence Department, he added.

“We will also conduct joint operations with the crime and narcotics units and place plainclothes personnel on express buses,” he said, adding that a special team from the state police headquarters would conduct surveillance activities. On summonses, Supt Raveendran said the police would impose a maximum fine of RM300 for six traffic offences. The offences are causing accidents, speeding, cutting queue, overtaking on double lines, driving in emergency lanes and beating red lights.

He said that 2,101 accidents and 37 deaths were recorded in last year’s Ops Sikap over the Chinese New Year period. “The highest number of fatalities involved motorcyclists with 23 deaths. There were nine deaths among drivers or passengers of cars while four pedestrians and a van driver also lost their lives.  Supt Raveendran advised those travelling long distances to plan their journeys and follow speed limits. “They should have plenty of rest before getting behind the wheel,” he said.

For more information or to provide information, call the police hotline at 07-221 2999 or the state police traffic unit at 07-225 4465. Alternatively, call the Bukit Aman traffic unit at 03-2262 6481 / 7936.