KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — The integrated traffic enforcement operation codenamed ‘Ops Selamat’, in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration, succeeded in reducing the number of accidents and fatalities, said Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

The number of accidents recorded during the period was 11,788 cases compared with 13,550 cases during the festive period last year.

The number of fatal accidents also dropped 11 per cent compared to the corresponding period of 2013 at 129 cases as against 145 cases in 2013.

“Although the Ops Selamat has entered its 13th day and will end in two-days’ time, 80 per cent of road users have returned to work and I am confident the accident rate will remain low,” he told reporters during the ‘Ops Selamat’ at the Gombak Toll Plaza, here today.

Also present were the Bukit Aman Director of Internal Security and Public Order, Datuk Salleh Mat Rasid and Bukit Aman Director of Traffic, Datuk Abdul Aziz Yusof.

Wan Junaidi said besides reducing the accident rate following the monitoring by the police and various security agencies, ‘Ops Selamat’ had also succeeded in reducing the incidence of house breakings during the festive season with 745 cases reported compared with 807 cases during the corresponding period last year.

“It shows a reduction of 62 cases or eight per cent. This was due to the full cooperation of the community in reporting to the police when they were returning to their home towns and the police could monitor their homes more effectively while the tenants were away on leave,” he said. — Bernama