Lee: Over 17,000 road accidents in Sarawak from January to October

KUCHING (Dec 2): Sarawak recorded a total of 17,847 road accidents from January to October 2025, said Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin.

He said that of these, 213 were minor accidents, 110 were categorised as serious, and 305 were fatal cases.

“Ensuring road safety requires the collective effort of every individual,” he said when delivering his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here on Tuesday.

Sarawak also recorded 749 accident-related injuries between January and October 2025, comprising 336 fatalities, 154 serious injuries and 259 minor injuries.

“The statistics show that motorcars account for more than half of all accidents, followed by four-wheel-drive vehicles and motorcycles,” he added.

Based on the data, Lee said Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu remain the divisions with the highest number of road accidents.

He also said next year, his ministry intends to expand collaboration with stakeholders such as the Road Transport Department (JPJ) Sarawak, the police and the Education Department to promote road safety awareness among schoolchildren.

On a related matter, Lee said the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) Sarawak began the phased enforcement of mandatory Speed Limitation Devices (SLD) on commercial vehicles on Oct 1, 2025.

Under this policy, he said heavy goods and commercial passenger vehicles must instal approved speed-limiting devices capped at 90 kilometres per hour when applying for licences. The requirement will extend to pre-2015 vehicles from Jan 1, 2026.

“To support this transition, industry players that have yet to instal the device will be granted only a one-year licence by CVLB Sarawak until full compliance is achieved. This measure is crucial in enhancing road safety and fostering a more responsible transport system in Sarawak,” he said.

He also noted that from July 1, 2025, a strengthened mandatory seatbelt policy requires express and tour bus drivers and passengers to comply, with offenders facing a RM300 compound.

“However, recognising the technical constraints and time needed for implementation, my ministry and JPJ Sarawak announced at a press conference on July 3, 2025 that the regulation applies only to buses manufactured after Jan 1, 2020 that are factory-fitted with passenger seatbelts,” he said.

On a related note, Lee said 183 out of 367 traffic light units across Sarawak have been successfully upgraded to smart systems.

“With regard to the implementation of smart traffic lights in Sarawak, my ministry is working closely with the JKR Sarawak and local councils to ensure that all existing traffic lights are upgraded to smart systems and that traffic lights are installed at accident-prone junctions,” he said.