AIDILFITRI: 1.5 MLN VEHICLES SET TO ENTER PENANG

BUKIT MERTAJAM, March 18 (Bernama) -- Police expect 1.5 million vehicles to enter Penang in conjunction with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive period from tomorrow until March 24.

Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the estimate, based on projections by the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT), involves vehicles travelling via the North-South Expressway (PLUS).

“In 2024, a total of 1.2 million vehicles entered the state, while last year recorded 1.35 million. This year, we expect 1.5 million vehicles to enter and pass through Penang,” he told reporters after launching Ops Selamat 26 Hari Raya Aidilfitri at the Juru Toll Plaza (northbound) here today.

Also present were state Road Transport Department (JPJ) director Zulkifly Ismail and state Fire and Rescue Department director Mohamad Shoki Hamzah.

Azizee said to ensure smooth traffic flow, 380 officers and personnel from the Penang JSPT will be deployed round-the-clock throughout the operation.

He said the police would also collaborate with the Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department, JPJ, the Fire and Rescue Department, St John Ambulance, local authorities and PLUS.

He added that eight hotspot and black spot locations prone to accidents and congestion have been identified.

These include Jalan Teluk Air Tawar to Jalan Bagan Luar in Seberang Perai Utara, Jalan Perusahaan Perai to Jalan Kulim in Seberang Perai Tengah, and Jalan Besar Simpang Empat (KM12 to KM32) in Seberang Perai Selatan.

In the Timur Laut district, the locations are the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway-Jalan Ayer Itam stretch and Jalan Ayer Itam-Paya Terubong, while in the Barat Daya district they include Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah and Jalan Tun Dr Awang, as well as the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR), also known as the Open Highway.

Apart from enforcement, he advised those leaving their homes for the festive period to inform the police by registering via the Volunteer Smartphone Patrol (VSP) application to enable patrols.

He added that from 2017 until last year, some 158,000 Penang residents had registered with the application, with about 700 new registrations recorded so far this year.

-- BERNAMA