Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10KUALALUMPUR116
2010-02-23 00:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Cable title:  

MALAYSIA: NO SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE YET TO

Tags:  ECON SOCI ELTN UNDP UNGA MY 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0318
PP RUEHAST RUEHCHI RUEHDH RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHNAG
RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHSL RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKL #0116 0540019
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230019Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3899
INFO RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION PRIORITY
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000116 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES (NCARTER-FOSTER)
STATE ALSO FOR OES/STC (EPADGETT)
HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO OGHA (JMONAHAN/ACUMMINGS)
TRANSPORTATION PASS TO NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SOCI ELTN UNDP UNGA MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: NO SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE YET TO
DISTRACTED DRIVING DEMARCHE

REF: STATE 06703

UNCLAS KUALA LUMPUR 000116

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES (NCARTER-FOSTER)
STATE ALSO FOR OES/STC (EPADGETT)
HHS/OSSI/DSI PASS TO OGHA (JMONAHAN/ACUMMINGS)
TRANSPORTATION PASS TO NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SOCI ELTN UNDP UNGA MY
SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: NO SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE YET TO
DISTRACTED DRIVING DEMARCHE

REF: STATE 06703


1. (U) Embassy delivered the refetel demarche to Malaysia's
Road Safety Department's (RSD) Director General Suret Singh.
In follow-up conversations, Singh said that he reviewed the
information and passed the information request to the legal
department, but he did not have any further response.
Embassy will continue following up with RSD and will report
septel any additional response from GOM.


2. (U) Malaysia's law has prohibited the use of hand-held
mobile phones while driving since 1998. Use of hands-free
phones is allowed. The punishment for using a hand-held
phone while driving includes fines up to 300 RM
(approximately USD 85) and driver penalty points potentially
resulting in increased insurance fees. The compliance rate is
estimated to be about 85 percent.


3. (U) In 2009, Malaysia's Road Safety Department reported
6,700 lives lost in road accidents, the highest number
recorded in the last 5 years. RSA lists speeding,
tailgating, and motorcyclists not wearing helmets as the key
causes. Over the long term, the number of road fatalities
has decreased. RSD estimated that 10 years ago the number of
fatalities was about 9,000, but due to constant campaigns for
better driving and enforcement efforts, the number dropped
down to around 6,200 in 2005, 2006, and 2007. There are no
published statistics available on the number of fatalities
involving texting.


4. (U) RSD's road safety campaigns focus on increasing
awareness and compliance on seat belt use, helmet use for
motorcyclists, and speeding. RSD estimates that rear seat
belt use dropped from 50 percent to 20 percent over the last
few years, primarily because of complacency and lack of
enforcement. To reduce motorcycle fatalities, RSD has gotten
private companies to sponsor safety-approved helmets for
145,000 motorcyclists with poor quality helmets. (NOTE:
There are an estimated 8.5 million motorcyclists in
Malaysia.) Compliance with helmet use laws is significantly
lower in rural areas, primarily because of lack of
enforcement.
KEITH