Loke wants RTD to fine all top politicians who ride bikes sans helmet

PARLIAMENT | Former transport minister Anthony Loke said the Road Transport Department (RTD) must issue summonses to all political leaders who ride motorcycles without wearing crash helmets.

This included opposition MPs and even opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Showing picture evidence in the Dewan Rakyat, Loke (Harapan-Seremban) said several BN leaders had ridden motorcycles without wearing helmets during the Slim by-election campaign.

They include former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, deputy president Mohamad Hasan, Youth and Sports Minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa, and BN's Slim candidate Mohd Zaidi Aziz.

Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PAS-Pasir Mas) later said he, too, had photos of Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun and Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal riding without helmets and would like to join Loke in meeting the RTD.

Later in the evening, Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling) said he had evidence of other opposition MPs also not wearing helmets when riding motorbikes, including Anwar.

Loke replied: "Issue summons to everyone, even the opposition leader."

Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said photographs may not be sufficient evidence for summonses to be issued but encouraged Loke and other lawmakers to submit the photos for further action regardless.

Earlier in his speech, Loke said riding motorcycles when campaigning was fine, but leaders needed to wear crash helmets.

"It's okay (to ride motorcycles while campaigning), but wear a helmet, show a good example.

"I worry that Pekan (Najib) will fall, an accident happens," Loke said.

Azeez then interjected and defended Najib, saying it was only for a short ride to go to a mosque for Friday prayers.

Loke said the riding of motorcycles without helmets, including in kampung, was a clear violation of the law that had been stressed by the RTD. 

Hence, he added that politicians needed to set good examples by wearing helmets.

Loke said he would submit the photos of the BN leaders who did not wear helmets to the RTD for them to take further action.

"I urge the RTD to issue summonses to all these people. Don't give 'face' to them, apply the law equally.

"The RTD officers need not worry, you have the backup from the prime minister, who said yesterday that there are no favours, all are equal (under the law)," he said.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had made the remarks in relation to investigations against Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Khairuddin Aman Razali for breaching home quarantine after returning from Turkey last month.

Loke's speech about the importance of wearing helmets was made while debating a bill to amend the Road Transport Act.

One of the keystone amendments is to raise the penalty for drink driving offences.

While supporting the bill, Loke said drink driving only accounted for a small percentage of road fatalities.

Instead, he said 22,375 road accident deaths from 2015 to May 2020 involved motorcyclists.

This, Loke added, was 64 percent of the 34,891 total road accident deaths during that period.

"Send a message to the public, crash helmets are important to save lives," he said. - Mkini