RM50,000 traffic safety boost for SK Olak Lempit

KUALA LANGAT, Feb 10 -- The Ministry of Works has allocated RM50,000 to improve road safety features in front of Sekolah Kebangsaan Olak Lempit, Banting, here following a fatal accident involving a student on Jan 21.

Works Minister Baru Bian said the allocation would be used to install orange warning lights in areas where accidents were frequent, to build two bumps, paint pedestrian crossings and install streetlights.

"I have directed the Selangor Public Works Department (JKR) to carry out the work immediately and I understand that it will start tonight at around 10 pm.

"We expect the improvement works will take a week and road users will be asked to be more careful (during the improvement work) as they pass along this road," he told reporters after reviewing the road here today.

Also present were Sepang MP, who is also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law), Mohamed Hanipa Maidin and Selangor JKR director Ir Shahabuddin Mohd Muhayidin.

Baru also reminded road users to always adhere to road signs, speed limits and traffic lights provided to ensure pedestrian safety especially school students.

Asked about the villagers' demand that the authorities build a pedestrian bridge for their use, Baru said the federal government had planned to build the facility as well as upgrading the road to twin lanes in both directions under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

On Jan 29, about 300 people in Olak Lempit, Banting gathered peacefully urging the government to build a pedestrian bridge on Jalan Banting-Dengkil in front of the school following an accident that killed Nur Aida Rafhanah Zaidi, 13, while her friend Aina Safiyah Saparin, 13, suffered a broken right hand.

Meanwhile, a village resident, Ismadi Marwan, 50 when met by Bernama, said he was relieved by the announcement and regarded it as an appropriate step to ensure the safety of students using the road.

"We have long been asking for bumps to be built on this road to reduce the speed of vehicles especially heavy vehicles, and today the federal government announced it is planning to build bumps and traffic lights. We are very grateful," he said.

-- BERNAMA