|
Bismillah Hirahman
Nirahhim.
Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
and A Very Good Morning
Mr. Ang Kian Guan, Director of Transportation,
Ministry of Communications as Chairman of Today’s
Seminar,
Members of Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council,
Directors and Head of Government Departments,
Senior Government Officials,
Distinguished Speakers,
Guests, and Respected Audience
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honor for me to be
present here this morning and be given the opportunity
to deliver the welcoming address on this auspicious
event, Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council Seminar
in conjunction with the First United Nations Global
Road Safety Week held world-wide this week.
Our presence today signifies our commitment and
relentless effort in getting across to all sector of our
community in promoting road traffic safety by raising
awareness on the scope of the problem to reduce traffic
fatalities and injuries.
The United Nations has designated April 23rd to April
29th as Global Road Safety Week carrying the theme “Road
Safety Is No Accident”.
Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council has taken the
initiative in organising this seminar with a view to
centre-stage road safety issues to the audience by
inviting distinguished speakers from relevant agencies
in our public and private sector as well as from abroad.
We believe and hope that this seminar will reach out to
our road users especially the young ones in our
community.
Only with continuous and total commitment and diligence
of everyone, can we make a positive difference to the
growing concern over road safety.
We together can gradually create safer roads for
everyone by striving harder to reduce accidents and save
valuable lives and property from losses due to road
accidents.
According to the World Health Organization, road traffic
injuries are major casualties that require concerted
efforts for effective and sustainable prevention.
Road traffic systems are the most complex and call for
more attention and effort to avoid fatalities and
injuries.
An estimated 1.2 million people worldwide are killed in
road crashes each year and as many as 50 million are
injured.
A joint report launched by WHO and the World Bank
recently highlights that much can be done to reduce the
toll of deaths and injuries and that "Road Safety is no
Accident".
The human suffering caused by road crashes is huge – for
every victim of a crash, there are family members,
friends, and communities who must cope with the
physical, psychological and economic consequences of the
death, injury or disability of a loved one.
Crash survivors and their families must cope with the
painful and often long-term consequences of injury,
disability and rehabilitation.
In many cases, the cost of care, the loss of the primary
breadwinner, funeral expenses, or the loss of income due
to disability can drive a family into poverty.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In Brunei Darussalam the figure in death toll due to
road accidents dwindled from 38 in 2005 to 32 in 2006.
However, being a country with a relatively small
population, these figures make us more wary of the
imminent situation we are in from road safety point of
view.
Culminating from the efforts by the Brunei Darussalam
Road Safety Council, many positive actions have been
taken to formulate ways and means of improving road
safety in the country.
Providing quality road infra-structure, rules and
regulations, carrying out enforcement, promoting
vehicles’ safety practices and approvals via technical
and non-technical consideration as well as related
safety measures seem incomplete however without total
commitment and cooperation from all road users in the
country.
The main cause of road accidents from the 2006
statistics was carelessness.
The definition of this very word carelessness,
however, is very subjective yet meaningful.
It is applicable and appropriate in the sense that road
accidents to a larger extent can be avoided as
carelessness seems to be the key problem area.
Enforcement agencies have noted that cases of traffic
lights violation, speeding at controlled areas,
overloading and improper packaging of commercial and
heavy vehicles, use of hand-phones while driving,
improper usage of roads like round-abouts are much to be
blamed for.
Today’s seminar is targeted towards young road users who
are on the verge of getting driving licences especially
those from higher institutions of learning,
Other similar target groups include public sector
drivers and the young recruits from the Royal Brunei
Armed Forces and Royal Brunei Police Force as well as
the other general road users.
We thank you all for your presence and participation in
this seminar.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is timely that such a seminar like this to be held as
more and more road users continue to grow progressively
in number.
Dissemination of information and educating young people
from their early age while enhancing current road users
on road safety awareness appear to be a pragmatic
approach.
However, its success relies very much on overall
commitment and continued cooperation from relevant
agencies.
Today’s gathering is a testimony of such dedication and
enthusiasm of everyone concerned to elevate the issues
of traffic injuries and fatalities to a new height.
I would like to take this opportunity in urging everyone
present here today to take full advantage as much as
possible from their presence considering the wealth of
experience and knowledge that the speakers bring with
them to this seminar.
I am also hopeful that this today’s seminar could enrich
everyone’s understanding on how we as road users
together could help create a more positive safety
culture – more tolerant, more caring, more polite and
law abiding all the time whilst on the road. Insya
Allah.
Before I end my address, I would like to express my
appreciation to the Chairman of this seminar and the
organizing committee in successfully putting this
seminar together.
Last but not least, my thanks also go to those who have
contributed valuable time and effort and especially to
those concerned from the private sector who have
provided sponsorship in making this seminar possible.
I sincerely look forward to hearing about the
fruitful discussions and the positive outcomes of the
seminar.
On this optimistic note, I have great pleasure and
with kalimah BISMILLAHIR RAHMAN NIR RAHIM, in declaring
the seminar open.
Wabillahit Taufiq Walhidayah
Wassalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Thank you.
|
