Zahid hopes police's old convoying methods will be changed

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is hoping that the motoring convoy Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the police will be amended to avoid fatigue and mishaps involving police officers and personnel.

The Home Minister said he also hoped that motoring convoys undertaking long journeys could stop and rest so that fatigue-related accidents among police officers and personnel could be avoided.

"As someone who is directly involved in motoring activity, I hope the SOPs of a convoy will be changed..besides that, awareness of convoying must be followed with high discipline by participants and also the personnel involved.

"Nevertheless, despite a highly disciplined convoy..normally, the problem is the other vehicles at junctions and roads which are also factors for accidents. I hope the traffic police will observe that this matter does not happen again and again," he said when visiting the family of the late Sergeant-Major Abdul Hakim Samingan, 54, in Kampung Darat Rajawali, here today.

Also present was Terengganu Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman.

The late Abdul Hakim and Corporal I. Suresh, 36, were killed after the high-powered motorcycles they were riding were involved in an accident at the 139th Kilometre, Jalan Kuala Terengganu-Kuantan, near Teluk Kalung on Oct 12.

The two traffic policemen, with seven officers and 18 other personnel, were travelling from Mersing, Johor to Kuala Terengganu, near here, during an In-Service Training exercise, when the mishap took place.

In the meantime, Ahmad Zahid urged the families of the two deceased to remain strong despite their grief and said he prayed that both of them will receive God's blessinsg.

"I represent the government of Malaysia, Home Ministry, Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the people of Malaysia in expressing our sympathies to the families of the two policemen who died in the line of duty.

"I have directed PDRM to speed up the payments due specifically for the orphans..I give my assurance that the welfare of the families of police officers and personnel who died in accidents and in the line of duty will be given priority," he added.

-- BERNAMA