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During the Yamaha Balik Kampung road safety campaign held at the Sungai Besi toll plaza recently, newly appointed Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke was in attendance to officiate the event. During the press conference, paultan.org took the chance to ask a few questions pertaining to motorcycle safety as well as general traffic regulations.
As far as motorcycle safety is concerned, Europe has mandated that all two-wheelers larger than 125 cc sold in that region from 2017 must be equipped with ABS. For Malaysia, Loke said that his ministry is currently gathering opinions, feedback and proposals from all relevant parties such as JPJ and MIROS in order to formulate a policy that will best serve the nation. The point is, it’s being studied, which is a positive update on this front.
Asked about whether motorcycles would be restricted from gazetted highways, or, as an alternative, that motorcycles below a certain engine size would not be allowed from using said roads, Loke said such a measure would require study. “The focus of the Transport Ministry is on safety and what is good for road users as a whole,” he said.
Speaking on the motorcycle licence age limit, where Loke was asked for his personal opinion on the matter, he respectfully declined to share his thoughts. However, Loke said the age limit is another matter for evaluation, whether upwards, or downwards, as has been suggested by some parties.
Now in its 20th year, the Yamaha Balik Kampung road safety campaign gives motorcycle riders, irrespective of brand, the chance of have their bikes undergo a free safety inspection. This year, 90 lucky bikers had their mounts inspected and 90 new helmets were given out in exchange for old, unserviceable helmets.
Over to you, what are your thoughts on the issues above? Should ABS be mandatory on all bikes sold here, and should bikes (below a certain size) be restricted from highways? Comment below.
