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Stricter safety measures needed to prevent more accidents


PETALING JAYA: Stricter safety measures are urgently needed to protect our cyclists.

National woman cyclist Mariana Mohamad was seriously hurt during a crash while undergoing simulation race with 50 other riders at 10.30am in Putrajaya on Sunday.

TV news footage showed a Perodua Kancil zooming across the incoming riders at the junction of Persiaran Perdana and Lebuh Ehsan, despite marshals manning the junction.

Former national champions Mariana then hit the side of the car.
Important visitor: Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek visiting national cyclist Mariana Mohamad at the hospital Monday.
National cyclist Amir Mustafa Rusli, who was also in the race which was to select riders for the Asian Championships from Feb 8-18, described the accident as “the worst crash during a race I have ever seen”.
Masziyaton Mohd Radzi and junior riders Abdul Azizi Zahid and Ahmad Azri Ahmad were also hurt in the crash. Azri suffered broken fingers while Masziyaton and Azizi received outpatient treatment for cuts and bruises.

Mariana, who suffered a broken arm and fractured ribs, was rushed to the Putrajaya Hospital before being transferred to the Damansara Specialist Hospital for surgery.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Gan Eng Cheng said the operation to fix screws and metal plates on her broken arm was carried out successfully.

“The CT (computerised tomography) scan of her brain showed that it is normal. She is stable and will be okay,” he said.

The accident has thrown up a few security and safety issues.
How did the driver get past the marshals? Did the marshals sleep on the job?
Mariana was just as flabbergasted that the car could get past the marshal.

“I just don’t understand why the driver sped through although there were police marshalling the junction,” Mariana said from her hospital bed yesterday.

“But this will not spell the end of my career yet ... although my husband (Glenn Ford) would very much prefer me to do so.”

Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) president Abu Samah Abdul Wahab said adequate safety measures had been taken, including engaging marshals and the police for the event.

“I believe we took the necessary steps to ensure the safety of our riders. It is wrong to say we neglected their safety,” he said.

“We worked closely with the police and the department of civil defence for the simulation race.

“Maybe we should put barricades to close the roads if we were to do another simulation race next time.”

Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, who visited Mariana at the hospital yesterday, said the incident would be thoroughly investigated and that her mangled bicycle – which is worth more than the Kancil – will be replaced.



By SHAMSHUL FITRI

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