KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Yang Berhormat

Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah

Bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Haji Bakar,

Minister Of Communications

At The

BSP Business Partner Health Safety Security Environment (HSSE) Forum 2012

Tuesday, 22 May 2012, 8.00am

Seria Community Hall

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 Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh

Alhamdullilahi Rabbil `Alameen Wasaalatu Wassalaamu `Ala Asyrafil Ambiae Walmursaleen, Saidina Muhammadin Wa’alaa Aalihiee Wasahbihee Ajama’een.

Mr Ken Marnoch, Managing Director of Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sendirian Berhad (BSP);

Senior Officials from Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sendirian Berhad (BSP),

Representatives from the Government and private sectors,

Distinguished guests and participants, ladies and gentlemen,

1. I am glad to be here this morning amongst you all as I believe the forum today is timely as we should continually increase our efforts to promote safety not only at work but also in our daily life.

2. The Ministry of Communication is responsible to ensure the conduct of safety in the air transportation sector, sea transportation sector and land transportation sector.

3. I will touch upon immediately on road safety. With regards to road accidents and the cause of most accident we can simply look at what I like to call the three M's:

1. Man (without being gender sensitive) : the ability and skill of the driver of the vehicle;
2. Machine: the road worthiness of the vehicle being driven; and
3. Management:
   1. the management of Man and Machine;
   2. the proficiency of the man (driver);
   3. the infrastructure on which the machine (vehicles) to move;
   4. safety of man and machine

4. According to the latest statistic the number of accidents recorded showed a worrying increasing trend, in 2009 recorded cases was 3110 cases, 2010 was 3414 cases and 2011 was 3598 case. From the accidents recorded it resulted in 38 deaths in 2009, 26 deaths in 2010 and 47 cases in 2011. Up to April of 2012, 14 deaths due to road accidents have been reported. The main causes of accidents (according to internet) are

1)     Failing to keep a proper lookout.

2)     Failing to have proper control of vehicle.

3)     Turning without due care.

4)     Following too closely to the vehicle in front.

5)     Failing to give way to traffic with right of way.

6)     Changing lane without consideration for other road users.

7)     Disobeying traffic light signals.

8)     Overtaking dangerously.

9)     Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

10)    Skidding due to excessive speed.

5. In addition to the on-going road safety initiatives to inculcate safer driving, we have introduced the Demerit Point System. This system is to make people more aware of the rules and regulation on the roads to prevent causes of accidents.

6. The syllabus for driving schools has also been improved to insert elements of defensive driving into the syllabus to ensure more skilled drivers for the future. The syllabus is also aimed to tackle the four main tendancies:

1. Attitude – to have the right attitude while driving;
2. Thinking – drivers need to believe they have a good vehicle equipped with safety features;
3. Feeling – Over-confidence is often the cause of accidents, therefore less risk should be taken; and
4. Behaviour – improve the behavioural traits while driving e.g speeding

7. The outsourcing of Vehicle Inspection Centre to have more assured inspection on vehicles. As with fleet operations, there has bound to be tendencies of operators cutting cost and therefore adherence to the safety of the vehicles may be affected. With more assured inspection, these safety features will be necessary for approvals.

8. To ensure that we meet our goal to reduce and minimise deaths and injuries related to road traffic accidents (RTA) on Brunei road, these initiatives and programmes are planned based on 5 Principles:

1. Addressing the most emergence major cause of road accident in the country by clamping down the speeding behaviour.
2. Introduction of and imposing the vehicle safety standards and modifications guidelines.
3. Addressing the driver impairment through Assertive Education and public awareness campaigns and
4. Safeguarding the vulnerable road users.

9. In the transportation sectors, the most properly maintained in relation to safety standards is in the sea and air transportation. With sea transportation safety aspects have to be in line with the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). With air transportation according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO):

1. Pilots need to be reassessed and licensed after certain man-hours of flight;
2. Aircraft goes through scrutiny to be licensed for avionics; and
3. Aerodrome staff need to be skilled and re-skilled.

10. What we can learn from this is that the land transportation industry should be accustomed to more scrutiny and standards as accidents on roads far exceed that of air and sea. In the air and sea industry conventions that need to be ratified are acceded by countries and this instills the standards if safety.

11. This entails that Safety is not by accident and it requires conserted and continous efforts. For BSP safety is not what ought to be done but a culture:

a. Inspire – more sustainable culture of safety;

b. Perspire – (govt) to introduce laws and regulations for safety compliance. Not sustainable; and

c. Aspire – engraved need of safety as a culture.

In conclusion I would like to wish all participants of the forum a big success and a safe drive home later. WABILLAHI TAUFIK WALHIDAYAH ASSALAMUALAIKUM WARAHMATULLAHI WABARAKATUH. THANK YOU.​