National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said this would make Malaysia a safer place for all as the culture of safety is embedded in the lives of all Malaysians.
Lee said what should be of utmost concern is Malaysia’s infamous record on road safety judging from the six to seven thousand road deaths every year.
“Clearly it is a wake-up call for everyone, public transport operators, bus drivers, road users and the authorities to take full charge and responsibility to make our roads and highways safer,” he added.
He lamented that over the years the government had spent billions after billions on infrastructure and development but what is regrettable is the lack of maintenance, which results in the emergence of many safety issues.
“At the start of the New Year let every Malaysian resolve to make Malaysia a safer place for all – safe not only from terrorism, crime and violence but also from the tragedies of our own doing whether it be on the roads, in residential and public areas or at workplaces.
“The fact that landslides, flash flood and road cave-ins including potholed roads are a frequent occurrence points to our failure to make the culture of maintenance and safety a way of life.
“We also have to realise that any action which results in the degradation and destruction of our environment will have disastrous consequences,” Lee said in his New Year 2012 message received here.
To this, he advocated: “Let us all work towards the realisation of a 1Malaysia 1Safe Community where the culture of safety is embedded in the lives of all Malaysians.”
He mentioned that the definition of a “Safe Community” is one in which people live, work and play in a safe environment.
“Developing a safety culture is best achieved through building a safe community. The Safe Community approach provides a focal point for the authorities, employers and employees of large and small enterprises, safety professionals and those who are keen in community affairs, to build a safe community where they work or live.”
Lee said: “The Safe Community Program takes reference from the community development and outreaching approach.
“It is an integrated development of safety culture in the community that encompasses road safety, work safety, school safety, recreational safety, crime prevention and others.”
Source: www.TheBorneoPost.com
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