SIBU: About 85 per cent of road accidents in Sibu are attributed to the negligence and carelessness of road users, said Deputy Minister II for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Sarawak Datuk Michael Tiang.
According to the Sarawak Public Communications Unit, the statement was made following the analysis of statistics from the police, which recorded a total of 2,061 road accidents in the Sibu District in 2023.
"Compared to 2022, where there were 1,822 cases, last year saw an increase of 239 cases. This implies that most accidents are self-caused and not due to external factors such as road conditions.
"Our roads, including the Pan Borneo Highway, are in good condition," said Michael during the Road Safety Council (MKJR) campaign at Petronas Powerfill Enterprise on Monday.
Consequently, he emphasised the need to widely promote road safety campaigns among community members to foster awareness about road safety.
"It is the government's endeavour to make the roads safe for everyone. Community members must join this effort to cultivate high education and awareness about road safety," he added.
In a related development, Datuk Michael Tiang mentioned that the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government of Sarawak is considering the mandatory inclusion of fire extinguishers in new homes in Sarawak under the Amendment Bill to the Building Ordinance 1994.