22 June 2006, Marang - Terengganu The Terengganu Shell Traffic Education Programme held from 19 – 22 June 2006, was today brought to a close with a prize presentation ceremony officiated by Tuan Haji Azizi bin Mamat, the State Exco for Culture, Youth, Sports and NGOs. The Pengerusi Jawatankuasa was accompanied by Tuan Haji Aziz bin Mamat, the District Officer of Marang, Tuan Haji Draman bin Muda, the Director of Education for Terengganu and Encik Azlan Yaakub, the Shell Regional Sales Manager for East Coast, Malaysia. 1,200 students from 60 primary and secondary schools in Terengganu took part in this state level road safety competition at the Litar Lalulintas Kampung Paya Marang, a permanent traffic garden in the State. Into its 49th year since 1957, the Games are held every year in every Malaysian state and involve the participation of primary and secondary schools from the various districts in each state. A national-level road safety carnival and traffic competition is then held once each year when winning schools from every state compete for the national championship and honours. Every year from March to November, some 25,000 Malaysian schoolchildren and over 2,000 teachers, traffic police officers and competition sponsors and organising officials participate in this extensive road safety competition. The Traffic Games are organised by the State Road Safety Council and Shell Malaysia together with resources from, and the close cooperation of state governments, state education departments, local city and town councils, the traffic police as well as the transport and information departments and other government agencies. Encik Azlan Yaakub from Shell said that “The Games are aimed at educating Terengganu youths on the importance and practice of road safety and road courtesy. Shell hopes that as adults, they will become responsible and civil motorists and pedestrians, as well as caring road-users who appreciate that the lives of others on the road are in their hands.”
Inaugurated in 1957, the year Malaysia won its independence; the Games share a long and memorable history of sustainable achievement for the community. This year, the competition as an institution, celebrates its 49th anniversary - having 'graduated' over a million young Malaysian road-users who have participated in the Shell Traffic Games nationwide.
Located in almost all the state capitals, the games are staged at permanent traffic gardens or tracks specially designed to simulate a complete, miniature road system or traffic situation. As part of the games’ programme, participating schools are required to pass written tests. In subsequent practical or on-road tests, participants are awarded merit points for complying with road safety regulations, or conversely given demerits and issued traffic violation summons by real traffic police officers when they break road safety regulations or commit driving offences. Prizes are awarded to winning schools for the most outstanding record on road safety performance. The top school for both the primary and secondary school categories in each state are then invited to represent their state at the national level Traffic Games hosted by different cities. Road safety games are also held for teachers and parents, as well as for the physically disabled to amplify public concern for road safety in Malaysia, and to lend moral support and commitment to the participating children. Encik Azlan Yaakub added that: "Over the years, improvements have been made to the games’ programme to keep up with the latest advancements in education systems and information technology. Currently, the programme also includes a computer-based module. "As a responsible corporate citizen, the company believes that sustaining a long-term investment in road safety education for young Malaysians in Terengganu is worth every ringgit because every road safety lesson learnt at the STG is a lesson learnt for the protection of human life”.
Issued by Shell Malaysia Corporate Affairs.
For more information, please contact LINA YAP ABDULLAH at tel. 03 2091 2252,
h/p 012 3020 221 or email: lina.yap-abdullah@shell.com
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