Twenty three accident-prone areas in Sabah (Jalan hantu?)

The rising number of commuting accidents on our roads is a very worrying trend.

In 2011, there were 24,809 out of the overall 59,897 commuting accidents in the country reported to SOCSO, for which it paid out compensatory disbursements amounting to RM1.71 billion. That is an increase of 12% from 2010 figure of 22,036 cases (out of the overall 57,639 cases), which cost SOCSO RM1.68 billion in compensation.

Remember this accident involving Shell fuel tanker and a newly acquired train belonging to Sabah Railways in Jalan Kepayan. Photo: extracted from keruak.com



I took this picture few days after the incident. Sabah Railways is almost done with the cleaning up.


Commuting accident cases is on the uptrend as indicated by this year's January-April statistics (nationwide):
January    : 1,961 cases
February  : 4,106
March      : 6,301
April        : 8,434

In Sabah, there were 111 such cases recorded from January to July this year; most of which took place in March (22 cases) and July (19 cases).

It is time to balik kampung for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration and motorise are advised to be extra careful along the 23 accident-prone areas throughout Sabah. Some call them as jalan hantu (spooky) for apparent reason. The roads are:

1. Jalan Tuaran Bypass
2. Jalan /BeluranTelupid
3. KM68 Jalan Sandakan/Lahad Datu
4. KM77  Jalan Sandakan/Lahad Datu
5. KM90  Jalan Sandakan/Lahad Datu
6. KM93  Jalan Sandakan/Lahad Datu
7. KM107  Jalan Sandakan/Lahad Datu
8. KM121  Jalan Sandakan/Lahad Datu (an express bus accident just happened here last Thursday)
9. KM124  Jalan Sandakan/Lahad Datu
10. KM126  Jalan Sandakan/Lahad Datu
11. KM130  Jalan Sandakan/Lahad Datu
12. Jalan Kudat/Kota Kinabalu
13. Jalan Lama Parar/Kota Kinabalu/Beaufort
14. Jalan Beaufort/Papar
15. Jalan Beaufort/Menumbok
16. Jalan Tawau/Kunak
17. Jalan Lahad Datu/Sandakan
18. Jalan Kunak/Lahad Datu
19. Jalan Bulatan Rugading-Serusup/Laya-Laya
20. Jalan Ranau/Telupid
21. Jalan Ranau/Tamparuli
22. Jalan Penampang/Tambunan
23. Jalan Sipitang/Sindumin

Please observe the 10km/h speed reduction which was implemented nationwide during this year's Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration period. AND DON'T DRIVE ON THE FAST LANE on a dual-carriageway if you are driving slow. That is an offence, just like when you are speeding above the speed limit.

Happy Holiday, happy balik kampung and have a safe journey home.

Periodic health checks for employees after 40

It's should be a concern to all of us, especially women, that we actually start losing bone mass as early as 30. Well, that's at least what the adverts on electronic media (especially TV) keep drilling into our heads on regular basis.

Illustrative image: monash.edu

But what should concerns us more is the facts unveiled by Human Resources Ministry about the build up of illnesses - that went undetected - during our prime years and by the time we get past 40 we suddenly have to fork out substantial amount of our savings for treatment. Or, in the case of private sector employees, Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) being the party to shoulder the financial burden.

Human Resourses Ministry is saying now that workers in the private sector maybe required to undergo periodic health screening upon reaching age 40 due to the increasing number of health problems recorded in recent years.

For a relatively small population like Malaysia, the compensation payout is considered substantial:

2011 - RM1.8 billion
2010 - RM1.6 billion
2009 - RM1.3 billion
E.g. Dialysis treatment cost increased by 19% in 2011 compared to 2010.

You may say "Heck, I'm young. I'm only 22". The simple fact is that "Detecting a diseases early will reduce the risk to you and me compared with diagnosing the disease at a late stage or chronic stage".

So, there.

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The full article: Periodic health checks for employees after 40
by Malay Mail, August 10, 2012

Workers in the private sector maybe required to undergo periodic health screening upon reaching age 40 said the Deputy Minister of Human Resources Datuk Maznah Mazlan. She said the matter was being studied by the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) to detect health problems and diseases at the early stage among workers.

"The total number of health problem cases recorded under SOCSO is increasing each year, that is for last year alone, SOCSO paid nearly RM1.8 billion in compensation and benefits to its members and contributors.

"The total is increasing each year, from RM1.3 billion in 2009 to RM1.6 billion in 2010. Payments cover cost of medication and treatment which involves diseases and accidents," she said after visiting the Mawar Hemodialysis Centre (MHC) and the presentation of a dialysis machine to the MHC branch in Kuala Pilah and Bahau yesterday.

According to Maznah, should a health problem or disease be detected early, it was not only good for the workers involved, it would also ease the burden of SOCSO from paying high compensation. "Detecting a diseases early will reduce the risk to the worker compared with diagnosing the disease at a late stage or chronic stage," she said.

In this regard, Maznah said SOCSO had spent RM92.5 million in 2011 to pay for dialysis treatment to members who had subscribed to the organisation. The total had increased almost 19 per cent compared with RM77.2 million spent in 2010 for the same purpose.

"As at June this year, SOCSO has spent RM43.5 million to pay for such treatment cost and at the moment, SOCSO has appointed 366 dialysis treatment centres nationwide," she said.