The ministry of transport is reviewing amendments to the rules under the Road Transport Act in order to introduce a 30 km/h speed limit in school zones, New Straits Times has reported.
The amendments are being undertaken comprehensively with the involvement of relevant ministries and agencies, including the works ministry, public works department, housing and local government ministry, PLANMalaysia, education ministry, the police and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), said transport minister Anthony Loke.
This comes after the transport minister’s announcement in April last year that the Malaysian government is set to gazette a 30 km/h speed limit in school zones nationwide, following a proposal that was made in 2024.
“The government, through the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Traffic Congestion (JKMKKJR), chaired by the deputy prime minister, agreed on July 15, 2024 to set a maximum speed limit of 30km/h in school zones as a national policy to enhance the safety of students and the school community,” Loke said in a parliamentary reply.
“In terms of implementation and enforcement, the ministry is reviewing amendments to the Rules under the Road Transport Act 1987 to specifically provide for the 30km/h limit in school zones,” he continued. Once the new speed limit is gazetted, legal action may be taken under existing provisions of the Road Transport Act, the transport minister said.
The government will also implement the Safe School Zone Project, a pilot initiative in schools to support the policy, Loke said, and among the physical interventions planned are lane narrowing and construction of sidewalks, raised pedestrian crossings, refuge islands and medians, as well as improvements to signboards and street furniture.
“The government is confident that this combination of engineering, education and enforcement will reduce the risk of serious injuries and fatalities in school areas, in line with the aspirations of the Malaysia Road Safety Plan 2022–2030,” Loke said in reply to Kalam Salan (PN-Sabak Bernam), who asked about the enforcement mechanism for reducing the maximum speed limit from 50km/h to 30km/h in school zones.
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