Malaysia to step up traffic enforcement during Deepavali holiday, including at tourist spots
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Personnel from the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department will be posted at hot spots and black spots nationwide.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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BENTONG, Pahang - Malaysia will step up traffic enforcement during the Deepavali holiday period from Oct 17 to 21, with some 2.1 million vehicles expected on the road.
Deepavali will fall on Oct 20.
The Royal Malaysia Police’s (PDRM) Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Commissioner Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said Ops Lancar will be conducted during the holiday period given the high traffic volume.
Ops Lancar is a traffic enforcement initiative by PDRM during major holidays.
“We expect about 2.1 million vehicles will be on the road during (the holiday period). Some 500 personnel will be deployed for Ops Lancar.
“We will focus on major highways, city raids as well as tourist destinations,” Datuk Seri Yusri told reporters on Oct 9.
He said personnel from the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department will be posted at hot spots and black spots nationwide, and will focus on ensuring smooth traffic flow.
“Our priority is to ensure all road users get to their destinations safely,” he said.
Mr Yusri also said the department was waiting for announcements from the Transport Ministry on whether there will be a specific period for commercial vehicles to be on the road.
Besides road safety duties such as controlling traffic, Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department personnel will also conduct joint operations with different departments.
“The Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department has successfully seized various drugs during operations on major highways and expressways.
“We conduct spot checks on suspected vehicles and we have found success in seizable amounts of drugs... Recently, we stopped a car and seized drugs worth over RM12 million (S$3.7 million),” he said.
Mr Yusri said besides Deepavali, the department’s personnel will be busy in October for various events including the Asean meeting and a MotoGP event.
“For the Asean meeting, we will inform the public on road closures and diversions during that period so that the public can plan their journeys,” he said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
