Road accidents and women drivers.

                   

  

                 Quite recently comments were made in Parliament that most road accidents in Malaysia are caused by women drivers .The statement was quickly condemned by women groups claiming that they are male chauvinist remarks. Whether or not women are  responsible for the high number of road accidents in this country in not the prime concern.The concern really is the common causes of these accidents
                       There had been numerous studies made by the relevant authorities on these and efforts are on going to solve the problems.One fact however remains clear . Deaths on our roads are so staggeringly high that one is utterly ashamed to know . According to the Police ,in 2010 alone there were 6872 deaths arising out of a total of 414,421 accidents which work out to about 600 deaths a month or 20 a day. Yet people are relatively quiet about it.The media report the accidents as an event devoid of the sorrow and empathy usually associated with loss of life.And yet these are tragic deaths that come in suddenly and unexpectedly. .If the deaths  were to take place in the battlefield ,the losses of lives on our road is comparable to a loss of an entire military force in a year .
                     Our national leaders claimed that the government had already done all they could to reduce traffic deaths and that  there is nothing much more that can be done . The blame is on the motorists themselves for whatever happened on the roads..All point out that the human factor in dangerous driving is the main cause . .While this is true to a certain extent there  are other factors that need to be considered . .One such factor is law enforcement . Let us examine whether there has been sufficient efforts being done to enforce the laws and regulation relating to road safety . The following areas of law enforcement are only a few examples of steps that could be taken :
                          1] Overloading : A high proportion of road accidents appear to involve smaller cars of 2 lit.and below. They are driven by  the lower and middle income people .During the festive seasons they are the majority of road users. Their vehicles are  completely overloaded .A small Perodua kancil or kelissa carry up to 6 to 7 persons . Its amazing to know how they are packed inside the vehicles . Overloading in such a manner is the prime cause of the mishaps. The same concern applies to vehicles such as buses,lorries etc.
                       Enforcement of the necessary regulations  is relatively easy .Our highways are dotted with toll collection gates which could be used to check on these offences .           
                     2)       Unlicensed and inexperienced drivers :Having obtained a driving license does not mean one  knows everything about driving ,leave alone about safe driving .Driving skill comes only with experience .There are numerous reports of fatal accidents involving  inexperienced drivers .Those involved are reported to be holding their driving licences for less than a year . Let us make the highways safe by not allowing  these inexperienced drivers on the highways at least during the festive seasons  . .On festive seasons when the roads are congested and travellers are in hurry ,those with P driving licences should not be disallowed to drive on major highways . Such restrictions must  be a part of the conditions set forth in their licences .         
              
                 Toll gates must be made to play a greater role in mitigating road accidents .They must surely be the most convenient bases for effective enforcement of all the road safety rules and regulations .

Getting a better picture .

                In the early beginning of the Libyan uprising my son asked me what I thought of Gadaffi .Is he a rascal , a scoundrel or a hero ? I said he is none of those .But for what he was doing then ,he was a man fulfilling his duty as Head of a revolution . I said you must remember that he came to power in Libya through a bloodless coup at the age of 27 . Since then he built Libya from a lifeless desert to what it is to day,a land of plenty and the pride  of the African nation . As  a leader ,despite the good that you do you cannot please every body .Anywhere in the world there will be opposition to the way you rule ,whatever the form of rule is . In the case of Gadaffi ,just like in Tunisia and Egypt there were protests that explode suddenly, without debate or a comprehensible warning shouting slogans that is totally alien . These streets protests grew within hours from the starting point and one does not even have time to know how and who started it.
                 . As a leader given  that  circumstances what are you expected to do ? Pack up and leave .That would be simplistic . You are a leader of the nation and when the country faces the prospects of chaos and anarchy the logical thing to do is to  continue to keep the lead and try to bring back the country to normalcy. To do otherwise is an act of treason . 
                      I am amazed at the display of naivety by some world leaders in calling for the removal of Gadaffi without first looking at the hard fundamentals of  history and the cultural fabric of Libya .
                     For now it is important for the world to know the exact profile of the so called ' rebels' .Are they a bunch of over sized criminals or an extended arm of other powers that  have a completely different agenda . The sooner we know this the easier it is to take sides ,if need be .
                     Malaysians must not swallow the narration of the international media hook line and sinker .
                      Let us stop being a mouthpiece of somebody else ,for once .

its so nasty and confusing [cont.]

I continue to be confused with events taking place in Libya .I feel embarrassed.At the risk of being branded unintelligent let me tell you some of my misgivings.
                     The media called the enveloping situation in Libya  a rebellion.As we understand it the word "rebellion " is a dirty word to mean  an act performed against an established authority .Going by that definition the rebels are nothing or nothing less than criminals guilty of acts against the laws of the country.  Whether or not the laws are made in accordance with democratic practice is not the question for the moment .
                     Libya has been under the same authority at least for as long as  Gadaffi is in power .That authority does not suddenly becomes unlawful just because of the sudden rise of dissent. Indeed there were protests against the conduct of the regime but the protests are not lawful a they are a threat  to peace and national security . A Government could not consider  a gathering of thousands of people filling every space on the streets ,shouting and screaming ,burning effigies ,blocking traffic etc as a peaceful assembly.
                       In the worst scenario,when this so called voice of dissent  decides to arm themselves with machine guns ,rocket launchers and other weapons of war it could not become a lawful and democratic display of emotions any more..Under the circumstances .it is only to be expected that the Government will act and react in such manner that could restore public confidence and security .
                    This in a nutshell best describes the cause of the present escalation in the stand off between the Government and the rebels .Let us   search our conscience and make our stand in this matter .