This brings the total number of deaths over the 17-day period to 219.
The fatalities are higher than on the first day of Hari Raya last year, when 20 deaths were recorded by the police.
It is regrettable that the Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik continued with his "hands-off" and "minds-off’ attitude towards the road carnage and the criminal loss of human lives.
Malaysians want to know whether the road carnage during festivities were every discussed in the Cabinet, and what has happened to the Cabinet Committee on Road Safety.
If Liong Sik refuses to be the "hands-on" Cabinet Minister to address the grave problem of road carnage during the festivities, is there no other Minister who could be delegated with the responsibility?
I would expect the Cabinet after its meeting on Wednesday to give a proper statement on what steps would be taken to deal with the problem of road carnage during festivities, as the next festive season is less than a month away - the Chinese New Year - before more lives are lost.
As the Malaysian public have lost total confidence in the "hands-off" and "minds-off" attitude of Liong Sik, the Cabinet should appoint a high-powered Cabinet Committee on Road Safety and Liong Sik should be excluded completely.
(10/1/2000)