..Brudirect: Minister Calls On Motorists To Be Considerate And Caring On The Roads...

Sources Brudirect

Bandar Seri Begawan - Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar, Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, last night urged motorists to be considerate and caring on the roads not just to cyclists but also pedestrians.

An avid cyclists himself, he told the Bulletin that he is a bit worried for fellow cyclists because there are still some motorists out there who seem to drive without much care.

"Those who drive too fast are not only going against the law but pose danger to others, not just cyclists but also to pedestrians and other motorists," he said.

The minister spoke just minutes before the start of the 'Ride of Silence', where he was joined by Minister of Communications Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri SetiaAwang Hj Abdullah bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar and more than 200 cyclists.

The 'Ride of Silence' was held in honour of 11-year-old schoolboy Yunus Hj Abd Rahman, who died in a tragic accident as he cycled back home from school.

The 'Ride of Silence' is also organised in other countries to honour cyclists who are killed or injured in accidents.

Yunus Hj Abd Rahman was trying to cross a road on his bicycle when a car slammed into him, sending him hurtling around 40 feet before landing by the roadside just after the Rimba Secondary School.

Pehin Yahya said he was saddened with the loss of such a young life. "With this tragic accident, we can only hope for people to finally come to their senses."

When asked about the need for proper infrastructure for cyclists, the minister said, "People can verify that most of the accidents, or 90 per cent of them, have happened at places such as junctions.

"At junctions, people tend to do stunts, cut corners and don't stop. Cyclists would always fear for accidents and tend to follow the proper way," he stated.

"Therefore, it doesn't matter how good the infrastructure is, as long as there are reckless drivers, accidents will occur," the minister added.

The minister said he was satisfied with the turn out last night adding that it looked promising and hoped that the event would bring about greater awareness among the people. - Sources Brudirect

To all road user: Please drive safely particularly in school, residential, Masjid or any public places that demand you to slow down. Because even at the speed of 30 KM per hour, it can be disastrous.