Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook recently stated that the deceased infant in the fatal Bukit Kajang toll crash was not placed in a child safety seat, and he is well aware of the criticisms for his remark.
Loke said that he was merely carrying out his duties as a transport minister to remind Malaysian road users about safety, and if he is going to get criticised for it, then so be it.
Transport Minister responds to backlash over his child seat statement in fatal Kajang crash
The accident that took place on Saturday morning (28 September) involved four vehicles, killing one baby and injuring eight others. The lorry driver who crashed into the cars at the toll plaza jumped out of his vehicle after the brake malfunctioned.
The child, who was not in a safety seat, was thrown from the vehicle and pinned under another car. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
“As a minister, whatever we do will definitely be criticised. That’s okay, I can be patient. If people want to criticise or get angry with me, I can accept it.”
“But I stand by my stance to remind everyone about the importance of safety seats for children because they are for safety,” Loke said yesterday (30 September) at a press conference.
Despite the backlash, Loke remained committed to reminding parents about the importance of a child safety seat
“You can criticise me, you can condemn me, but please don’t forget, if you have small children, install safety seats for their safety.”
The Transport Minister, however, stressed that he did not blame the victim or the parents, but the incident should serve as a reminder of why the Ministry of Transport (MOT) mandates the use of child safety seats.
“Many people complained when the ministry made it mandatory to use child safety seats. But when incidents like this happen, it shows how important safety seats are.”
What do you think of Loke’s take on this matter?
