Bolstering ‘Balik Kampung’ Safety & Security

Joshua-Yong, Tan Chong Insure

By Joshua Yong, Head of Tan Chong Insure

As the time to ‘Balik Kampung’ approaches, excitement fills the air for many eagerly anticipating reuniting with loved ones and celebrating cherished traditions.

However, amidst this festivity, it’s an unfortunate reality that this time of joy and revelry tends to be marred by tragedy, with 12,407 road accidents reported during 2023’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri period alone. In addition, the risk of fire and other home security hazards tends to increase during festive seasons.

With this in mind, it’s extremely important to consider safety and exercise caution during the festive season – what steps can we take to ensure that we keep ourselves, our loved ones, and our celebrations out of harm’s way?

Bringing Safety Issues To Light

Firstly, on a larger level, there needs to be a significant increase in public awareness of the safety risks the festive season can bring. Public awareness campaigns – like GoInsuran’s Ramadan-Raya Road Safety campaign – can be extremely helpful in educating individuals about a wide variety of safety precautions. Information about issues like fire safety, road safety, and home security measures could be broken down into simple tips and then spread across various channels such as social media, television, radio, and even community events.

At GoInsuran, safety is more than just a priority – it’s a commitment. Through our public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives, we strive to create a safer environment for everyone. We urge all Malaysians to join us in our mission to promote safety, save lives, and make this festive season truly joyful for all.

Organising Extra Enforcement

During this period, the government may have a tendency to increase the presence of law enforcement staff and other first responders, especially in residential areas, shopping districts, and entertainment venues to ensure public safety. For instance, 2023’s Aidilfitri season involved leave being frozen for 80% of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department personnel in preparation for any emergency.

Meanwhile, on the road, there are always roadside checkpoints designed to enforce traffic laws, which naturally aim to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.

The Power Of People: Happy Balik Kampung

Teamwork makes the dream work, as is often said, and the same goes for road safety and home protection as well. Carpooling with people who can take turns to drive on long journeys will go a long way towards ensuring everyone gets enough rest, for example.

At home, neighbours could be requested to keep an eye out for any suspicious activities, or even to collaborate on neighbourhood watch initiatives. Furthermore, in line with the public awareness highlighted earlier, community-based workshops and training sessions on safety topics could also contribute to a sense of collective responsibility.

Meanwhile, on an individual level, it’s important to ensure you have protections in place against any unwanted events. Considering car insurance is mandatory in Malaysia under the Road Transport Act 1987, it is up to designated drivers to double-check their status accordingly.

On another note, The Edge reports that 59% of Malaysian homeowners are not insured for fire damage, and 74% of homeowners have no coverage against flood damage. Through these statistics, it’s fair to say that the majority of Malaysians would have to pay out-of-pocket should any mishap happen, which is where home protection insurance plays its role of protection and makes good of the financial loss.

To keep Malaysians a little safer during this festive season, GoInsuran is offering the exclusive promo code REFERME – customers can reap instant savings for up to RM100 off and more when renewing their car insurance, depending on the premiums and sum insured of each individual’s car insurance.

At the heart of it all, we all want to enjoy a stress-free festive period. At multiple levels, we can all work together to look out for each other and celebrate these joyous occasions safely.