| Lyna Mohamad |
THE number of road fatalities has been reduced by 44 per cent, owing to the Brunei National Road Safety Council’s active involvement with the private sector and non-government organisations in 2017-2018, combined with the vigorous efforts from the whole country, said Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib bin Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Haji Mohamad Yusof during a brief interview yesterday.
The minister was speaking to the Bulletin on the sidelines of his ministry’s inaugural Family Day event at the Taman Jubli Perak Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in the capital.
Asked about safety initiatives, the minister said that one of their policies is to work with a whole-of-nation approach.
“This is, of course, to uphold the titah of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, that whatever initiatives are being undertaken should be appropriately done with a whole-of-nation approach,” he said.
“Insya Allah, we hope to maintain and even improve on this with a whole-of-nation approach, which we do on a constant basis through a series of awareness programmes and enforcement through our enforcement agencies.
“On the religious side, our ministry conducts monthly Ratib Al-Attas and Sunnat Hajat prayers with schoolchildren, to seek blessings from Allah the Almighty, and to ensure safety on the road, while also encouraging the recitation of supplications before travelling.”
The minister also pointed out that one of the ministry’s main objectives is to maintain a level of safety, assurance and wellbeing to all those travelling on road, air and sea. “I take this opportunity to thank the public, because through their understanding and cooperation, they have been able to embrace the message of road safety,” he said.
Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib also noted that his ministry has been experiencing restructuring and re-strategising in terms of its functions, ever since it underwent a name change to the Ministry of Transport and Info-communications last December.
“We have expanded our scope of functions and are now focussing on the transport sector, which covers land, aviation and maritime,” he said.
“At the same time we will also be focussing on info-communications, postal services, broadcasting, e-services, e-governance and cyber-related matters.”
Yesterday’s Family Day event began with an aerobics session and a brisk walk around the park, led by the minister.
Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib also mingled with the ministry staff and their families, before joining in a game of futsal alongside a team of senior officers and officers from the ministry and all departments under it.
The Chief Executive of Authority for Info-Communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI), together with the permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries, directors, heads of departments, deputy heads of departments, senior officers, officers and staff at the Ministry of Transport and Info-communications, as well their family members were also present.