[TALK] Vision Zero: Improving Road Safety for Better Public Health
Join us for the second talk in our Public Health Forum Series, presented by Penang Institute Plus and Wu Lien Teh Society, to explore innovative road safety solutions for Malaysia’s alarming traffic fatality rates.
Details
Speakers: Dr Krishnan Rajam (Public Health expert) & En Noorazrein Noorazlan Ong (Director of Enforcement Department, Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang)
Date: Tuesday, 08 October 2024
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Venue: Conference Hall, Penang Institute
Note: Entrance to this event is FREE. Join us in person or watch the live stream on Penang Institute’s Facebook and YouTube channel.
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Abstract
Nearly 7000 Malaysians have lost their lives on Malaysian roads last year, whilst many more walk away barely with their lives, carrying the scars of their close encounter with death. Malaysia’s rate of traffic fatality rate sits at about 22.5 deaths per 100 thousand, above the global average of 15, and is Southeast Asia’s 2nd highest fatality rate only after Thailand. The matter of road safety has been a subject widely discussed, especially traditionally amongst road users in the form of education and enforcement. Despite that however, the traditional approach to road safety has only perpetuate the high death toll amongst road users, especially motorcyclists who make up 59% of road fatalities. However, there are other approaches to tackling road safety such as from the Public Health approach. Alternatively, Vision Zero, an approach that aims to create a road system with the ethical imperative to prevent fatalities and shared responsibility for road safety, have seen plenty of success in countries like Sweden and Norway with some of the lowest fatalities in the world. And in Penang, a motorcycle dominant city, any road user can attest that road safety is a salient issue and might worth exploring other more radical approaches.
About The Speakers
Senior Professor Dr Krishnan Rajam (Public Health expert) is an avid researcher and advocate for injury prevention, especially in road safety. His extensive and prestigious work includes serving with University of Malaya and RUMC Penang, publishing research work on injury prevention in The Lancet, working as an injury prevention technical officer with Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) of World Health Organization and publishing opinion pieces on Malaysian road safety with Malaysian news media. Now working as a senior professor with AIMST University in Bedong, Kedah, he presents to Penang Institute his expertise on road safety through the perspective of public health.
En. Noorazrein Noorazlan Ong (Director of Enforcement Department, Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang) is a law graduate from UiTM with a Master’s degree in Enforcement Law. With over a decade of experience in legal service, Noorazrein has made significant contributions, including publishing a paper on Abandoned Vehicles. After serving as a legal officer for nine years, Noorazrein was promoted to Director of the Enforcement Department last year, where they continue to lead with expertise and dedication. Noorazrein also played a key role in establishing the warden traffic under the Road Transport Act for the Penang Island City Council in 2019.
Event Summary
On 8 October 2024, Penang Institute and Wu Lien Teh Society hosted Dr. Krishnan, a public health expert, Tuan Noorazrein, the Director of Enforcement Department, Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang and Insp Prathiparaj S/O Punasagaran from the Seberang Perai Selatan Police Headquarters for a talk on road safety. Dr. Krishnan emphasized the role of public health research and legislation in traffic law enforcement, advocating for stronger enforcement over educational campaigns. Tuan Noorazrein highlighted his department’s role in supporting traffic law enforcement, ensuring safety alongside the police. The panel discussed the importance of law enforcement in achieving road safety, including road engineering solutions like multi-grade segregation and measures against jaywalking. Audience members inquired about stronger enforcement methods. The panelists unanimously agreed that increased enforcement is key to reducing traffic fatalities.