“POLICE yesterday hailed Ops Sikap XVII as a resounding success following a drop in road deaths, compared with last year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities” (NST — Oct 10).

I hope the officer who made the above statement about Ops Sikap XVII knows the meaning of “resounding”. In the dictionary, “resounding” is defined as “a very great” success. Can an 8.4 per cent reduction, amounting to 17 fewer persons dying, be considered a resounding success? But, on reading further, I knew why he was so happy. The police only targeted a five per cent reduction in fatalities.

Life is precious. Even if one person is killed on the road, it is a tragedy and nothing to gloat about.

The officer should not gloat over the success of the operation but rather regret the failure to save 208 lives (the road toll during the Hari Raya season).

I am not blaming him or the police for the 208 who died. To quote him, most of the road crashes “were due to the motorists’ own doing”.

What would family members of those who died on the road think of his comments when their loved ones died because of some drunk or speeding driver crashing into their relative’s car, causing them to die? Please be careful when making statements as a police officer.

The whole report could be more sombre, given that there were so many fatalities and accidents, plus summonses. A warning to the public on how bad things are on our roads and a call for more care when driving would be better.

There is always a tendency for government servants to sound optimistic about everything they do instead of taking a humble approach. The public appreciates your hard work without you having to boast.

To all the hardworking police and other enforcement officers during this festive period, I extend a big thank you for their efforts in trying to make some of our senseless motorists more sensible. Well done, despite the small reduction in fatalities.

VICTOR CHEWIpoh

Source: NST – October 12, 2008