While there has been a decrease in fatal road accidents from 20 cases in 2022 to 14 in 2023, the number of injuries has increased to 364 in 2023. Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha stressing that every accident is preventable, called for collective efforts from all road users to ensure safety.
Speaking at the launch of the 6th Fill Safe, Feel Safe (FSFS) programme, the minister highlighted that Brunei has over 400,000 registered vehicles, with an average of 260,992 active vehicles annually. The FSFS campaign aims to reach all vehicle owners and drivers to promote safe refuelling practices.
Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary outlined the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications’ commitment to improving road safety through its strategic plan, which focuses on increasing the contribution of the transport and infocommunications sector, ensuring safety and facilitating economic growth.
The National Road Safety Council (MKKJR) is also actively working to enhance road safety through initiatives such as implementing road safety co-curriculum activities in schools, collaborating with non-governmental organisations, conducting the International Road Assessment Programme, disseminating the new Highway Code and carrying out enforcement activities with the Royal Brunei Police Force.
The minister commended Brunei Shell Marketing (BSM) and gas station owners for their continuous efforts to make gas stations incident-free, especially given the high number of vehicles on the road. He expressed appreciation for the collaborative efforts of the Petroleum Authority of Brunei Darussalam, the MKKJR and the Safety, Health and Environment National Authority in promoting public-private partnerships to foster responsible consumer behaviour.
Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary emphasised the importance of capacity building for all workers, particularly in early intervention. He highlighted the significance of immediate incident reporting by gas stations to BSM and encouraged security monitoring from all parties as a reflection of organisational performance.
The minister praised BSM’s FSFS campaign for its effectiveness in fostering a strong relationship between the public and private sectors, promoting prudent consumer behaviour and positively impacting various industries. He expressed confidence in the collective efforts of gas station management, BSM and the government to ensure public compliance with safety regulations, even when visiting gas stations.
Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary also commended BSM’s proactive approach in educating the public through initiatives like Project Selendang, emphasising the importance of strict adherence to safety regulations, such as switching off engines and electronic devices during refuelling.
The FSFS campaign has successfully raised public awareness about safety at gas stations, leading to increased reporting of unsafe acts and situations. Despite challenges in changing behaviour, the minister expressed confidence in the ability of service champions to make a positive impact and promote safe practices. – Lyna Mohamad
