KUCHING: The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) has identified 12 accident-prone locations along the North-South Expressway (PLUS) and East Coast Expressway (LPT) ahead of the Hari Raya travel rush.
Millions of vehicles are expected on the roads in the coming days as people return to their hometowns for Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.
Its director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said standby teams would be stationed at key locations between Mar 29 to Apr 3, to ensure swift emergency response.
“These two highways will be our focus, with a target response time of under 30 minutes to reach accident sites.
“Based on experience, highway accidents often lead to massive traffic congestion, so deploying emergency personnel at critical locations can help minimise the impact,” he said when met yesterday (Mar 19).
He was speaking after attending the appointment ceremony of Koperasi Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (Kobopem) Advance Sdn Bhd as the Company Owned, Dealer Operated (CODO) operator of Batu Kawa Petros Multifuel Station at the Sarawak Bomba Headquarters.
Nor Hisham pointed out that based on statistics, accidents on highways account for less than two per cent compared to accidents on federal roads.
“Nonetheless, the problem with highway accidents is that if it happens, it will cause significant disruptions to the traffic flow. So, that is what we are trying to reduce,” he said.
In Sarawak, there will be no fixed standby teams along the Pan Borneo Highway, but mobile patrols will be conducted instead.
He said while personnel will be stationed at key locations in the Peninsula, Sarawak will deploy mobile motorcycle units for monitoring and emergency response.
