Loke: JPJ’s war on overloaded lorries must continue even without me, as it involves human lives

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In his parting words to the Transport Ministry, Anthony Loke today urged the Road Transport Department to continue its “war” against overloading ...

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 11 — In his parting words to the Transport Ministry, Anthony Loke today urged the Road Transport Department to continue its “war” against overloading in commercial vehicles even after he leaves as transport minister.

Loke, who effectively resigned as transport minister yesterday, said there would be people cheering that the minister who refused to compromise on overloading, and who they felt interfered with their livelihood, was gone.

“‘The minister has left, we can overload again like in the past, no problem,’” he said in his 48-minute speech at the Transport Ministry here, describing how overloaders would feel.

“I want JPJ to prove them wrong. This war on overloading will be continued, with or without me,” he said, using the Malay abbreviation for Road Transport Department by which it is better known locally.

“This is not an issue of minister, this is an issue of human lives. This is not an issue of livelihood, this is an issue of human lives,” he said.

He said whoever succeeds him as minister, and whoever becomes JPJ director-general, must carry on the mission without delay or softening, because it is vital for road safety.

He urged JPJ enforcement officers to act against overloading, illegal racing and speeding, which he said cause road accidents and deaths, noting that the law had been amended to give JPJ enforcement powers over such offences.

Looking back at his tenure as transport minister from December 2022 to yesterday, Loke said two fatal road accidents within a few weeks had left a huge psychological impact on him.

He said so many innocent lives, including youths and students, were lost that he asked whether something could not have been done to prevent such a tragedy, after which the ministry pursued multiple new road safety policies, initiatives and measures.

Début de l'article, extrait de Malay Mail. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.