PUTRAJAYA: Several private companies in Malaysia are so serious about road safety that workers found talking on the cell phone while driving will be sacked.

Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said companies like Unilever Malaysia, Lafarge Cement, Malaysian Oxygen, and oil and gas companies, had incorporated serious traffic violations such as driving while using cell phones and under the influence of alcohol as reasons for sacking workers.

"However, employees only face the sack if the offences are committed while working.

"We hope other companies will follow suit and work with the government to keep track of employees who are habitual traffic offenders," Suret said yesterday.

Earlier, he announced that the department would co-operate with Unilever Malaysia on road safety projects in Rawang, where the company has a factory.
Present was Unilever Malaysia's human resource director Nik Mustapha Nik Mohamed.