Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced that a joint Cabinet paper on a whole-of-government road safety approach will be presented soon.
KUALA LUMPUR: A joint Cabinet paper by the Transport Ministry (MoT) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) on the national road safety approach will be presented to the Cabinet in the near future.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the paper was important to facilitate Cabinet discussions on adopting a whole-of-government approach to road safety.
“Through this whole-of-government approach, the resolutions adopted at today’s congress can be implemented nationwide,” he told a press conference after officiating at the Road Safety Congress (RSC) 2026 here today.
He expressed confidence that the paper could be prepared without taking too long.
Earlier, in his opening speech, Ahmad Zahid called on MoT and MIROS to prepare the Cabinet paper to propose a coordinated approach to expanding motorcycle-related safety measures.
He said the paper should set out clear priorities, timelines and measurable outcomes, given that motorcyclists account for the highest proportion of road fatalities in Malaysia.
Statistics from last year showed that nearly two-thirds of the 6,537 road deaths involved motorcyclists and pillion riders.
In view of this, Ahmad Zahid stressed the need to provide motorcycle lanes and safer road infrastructure, rather than placing the blame solely on riders’ behaviour.
“Too often, we place the blame on riders and their behaviour. While personal responsibility is important, road safety must work both ways… For many, motorcycles are not a lifestyle choice, but a necessity to earn a living,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid also called on the relevant agencies to stop working in silos and integrate their data into a single national road safety intelligence platform.
He said integrating data from agencies such as the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Road Transport Department (JPJ), Public Works Department (JKR) and local authorities would bring about meaningful changes towards smarter and safer mobility.
RSC 2026 was organised by MIROS alongside Transport Expo Asia 2026 and the Conference on Asia Road Safety (CARS 2026) at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).
Themed “Safer & Smarter Mobility: Advancing Road Safety Towards Vision Zero”, the two-day congress brought together policymakers, researchers and industry leaders to explore policies, smart technologies and integrated solutions to prevent road deaths and injuries.