| Lyna Mohamad |
THE Land Transport Department (JPD) public WhatsApp service to report irresponsible drivers has been well-received, said Acting Director of the JPD Pengiran Mohamed Amirrizal bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud.
He made the statement during a press conference at the JPD Headquarters in Beribi, Gadong yesterday. He said 223 complaints were recorded from June to December 2016 while 547 complaints were recorded in 2017.
Although the service has been positively received, the acting director said the public needs to provide more detailed information when making complaints for the department to implement appropriate action against traffic violators.
He added that most of the complaints were short of important details. At times, the complainants do not want to be reached which leaves only the offender to be contacted by the JPD to issue a warning. The acting director urged the public to provide the registration plate number of the vehicle associated with violating road regulations, date, time and place of offence and a photo of the said vehicle while making the offence.
The JPD Enforcement WhatsApp service, introduced in June 2017, was implemented to ensure the safety of all road users. It has been used prior to the setup of the WhatsApp Darussalam that extended its introduction earlier this year for complaints only related to JPD offences.
In line with the ‘One-Government Approach’, the JPD WhatsApp number 7292017 will no longer be in operation. All complaints related to the JPD enforcement and services can now be channeled through the Darussalam WhatsApp at 8333123 with complete details to ensure that action can be taken accordingly with the department’s procedure.
Pengiran Mohamed Amirrizal said the JPD sees Darussalam hotline 123 and WhatsApp Darussalam as another platform for the public to file complaints.
“The department recognises the role of hotline Darussalam in this matter, we prefer hotline Darussalam to take the lead,” he added.
The acting director reminded the public that the services do not allow drivers to take photos while driving, stressing that the use of mobile phones while driving is an offence under Section 29A of the Road Traffic Act Chapter 68.