THAT DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook has chosen the eve of the Johor state election to undermine UMNO one last time has invited a ridicule from the latter’s youth wing chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh.
To hide the obviosity of his action, Loke used his ministerial capacity to stress that the Transport Ministry (MOT) would not tolerate breaking of traffic rules by a group of Pakatan Harapan (PH) campaign staff, including from DAP, who rode motorcycles without wearing helmets during their Johor state election campaigning rounds.
Stressing that his stance on road safety had been consistent as how he raised the same matter involving Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders during the Slim by-election campaign in Perak some six years ago, he has since instructed the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to summon traffic offenders based on evidence from viral video recordings.
“This principle applies to all political parties without exception, including PH candidates and campaign staff. Road safety laws don’t recognise political parties,” he pointed out in a peculiar statement.
Fair enough, Johor DAP vice-chairman Sheikh Omar Bagharib Ali promptly came forward to admit guilt.
“That’s me. I apologise for riding a motorcycle without a helmet on the morning of the nomination in Paloh town 巴羅🙏🏼,” the former Paloh state assemblyman who was recently made a Dewan Negara member penned on his Facebook page. “I’ ll pay the summon.”
Akmal’s tit-for-tat
But the peculiarity of Loke’s harsh stance as can be observed from his FB statement in which he attached two images of PH and BN offenders respectively has irked Akmal who also happens to be the BN Youth chief.
Doubtlessly, he expressed gratitude to Loke for having swiftly instructed JPJ to issue summonses to the traffic offenders during his programme with the youths of Felda Ulu Dengar in Kluang last week.
“I plead guilty to this offence and will take responsibility to pay the summonses imposed on me promptly,” he penned in a FB post.
But surely don’t expect the sharp-tongued defender of race and religion to let the matter rest in that simple fashion.
This is when the DAP nemesis ever since the KK Super Mart Allah inscription on socks a.k.a. sock-gate saga erupted (March 2024) turned the tables on Loke by remarking that the law against drink driving which causes fatal accidents “is still too weak and there has been no improvement”.
“… the punishment received is unfair to the victim. The offender only receives a maximum prison sentence of 15 years and a fine of RM50,000 to RM100,000 even when the victim is the breadwinner of a family.”
The Merlimau state assemblyman went on to challenge Loke “before his term ends” to immediately draft and implement stricter laws on drunk drivers who cause fatal accidents.
These offenders must be sentenced to a longer prison term and must bear all the costs sufficient for the needs of the victim’s family members to continue living.
The Minister mustn’t only dare to punish traffic offenders for not wearing a helmet yet remains tight-lipped when the offence is more severe and results in the loss of life.
All the villagers and FELDA residents must now remember to wear a helmet if they want to go to the surau even if it’s merely a short distance lest you’ll receive a summon from the Minister. 😉😉😉
Editor’s Note: Coincidentally on the subject of drunk driving, Loke in a Dewan Rakyat written reply to Klang MP Ganabatirau Veraman (PH-DAP) has again reiterated that drunk driving is not the major cause of fatal road accidents in Malaysia.
Based on Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) statistics, 13 deaths were recorded in 2023 due to accidents involving drivers under the influence of alcohol or an equivalent to 0.20% of the total 6,473 road deaths.
In 2024, the number decreased to 12 deaths or 0.19% of the total 6,464 deaths. For 2025, 13 deaths were recorded, representing 0.20% of the total 6,537 road deaths.
Likewise in 2022, 14 deaths were recorded involving accidents involving drivers under the influence of alcohol, an equivalent of 0.23% of the total 6,080 road deaths. – July 11, 2026
