LETTERS: Why are the authorities continuing to close the stable door after the horse has bolted?
Why can't they be more proactive rather than be reactive. This malady is a recurring issue.
Poor governance and law enforcement can be observed across various sectors, from road safety, to the construction industry to environmental crisis and flooding.
Take for example the recent road tragedy in Genting. The government has said there will henceforth be strict enforcement and checks on drivers' licence and whether their vehicles have the required permits.
The driver concerned had received a whopping 37 summonses but todate no action had been taken against him. Isn't this a case of sheer negligence?
Why didn't the authorities carry out enforcement on a daily basis? If this was done, incidents like the Genting crash could have been avoided.
And many other road accidents that resulted in deaths could have been avoided too.
Are we seeing a case of apathy and lack of commitment from the authorities?
It appears that a culture of reacting to problems rather than preventing them is ingrained in our system.
To change this narrative, a shift in governance culture and commitment to accident prevention and personal integrity are needed.
It is not rocket science to plan and execute preventive measures and to act against law breakers in a timely and forceful fashion.
We have the potential to turn the tide by adopting a responsible attitude and exercise stringent enforcement towards accident prevention.
Don't wait until an accident or tragedy occurs before acting to put things right. And even after acting to put things in order let it not be "business as usual" after the issue has died down.
It's time to bolt the stable door before the horse even thinks of bolting, to borrow the right expression.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times