Settling dues: Peoples waiting to pay their traffic summons at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The free helmet exchange counter saw an overwhelming response at the Two Years of Madani Government Programme (2TM) and the 2024 National Convention on Public Service Reform at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here.
A visitor, Mohd Zayn, 28, said this was his first attempt to get a free helmet as he had only heard about the initiative through social media.
“Based on what I had read, the programme has received a great response, so I left my house early in the morning in Sungai Buloh, braving the unusually heavy traffic.
“My expectation was spot on as people had already started queuing, and within minutes, the line grew long,” he told Bernama.
The queue began forming as early as 7.30am yesterday at the helmet exchange counter set up at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) booth.
Mohd Zayn said government programmes with such people-friendly concepts are beneficial as they allow the public to access government services more easily and enjoy attractive deals.
“At government programmes I’ve attended before, I usually go to career fairs to look for job opportunities,” he added.
A retiree, Zain Hasan, 64, said he attended the programme to exchange his worn-out helmet for a new one.
“Programmes like this help us get free items from the government, such as the free helmets. I also informed my children to come if they’re free, as the stock is limited.
“And now that I’m here, I can also pay any outstanding summonses. The programme location is quite strategic as the hall is air-conditioned, so even if the queue is long, it’s not a problem,” he added.
Senior division head of the Kuala Lumpur JPJ Management, Road Safety and Corporate Division Azharul Izwa Puaadi said 5,000 helmets are being provided throughout the three-day programme.
“For this session, we’ve prepared 1,500 helmets, and we’ll distribute them in two sessions, namely 750 in the morning and another 750 in the afternoon.”
He said a total of 1,000 helmets will be given out today and 1,500 helmets will be available tomorrow.
The 2TM programme is organised by the Prime Minister’s Office through the Performance Acceleration Coordination Unit and the Malaysian Productivity Corporation.
It is in collaboration with various ministries, agencies, government-linked companies, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and other stakeholders.
The programme will be officially launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today.
Meanwhile, Communications Ministry senior undersecretary (management) Mazlan Abd Mutalib said the three-day event from 9am to 6pm until tomorrow featured a variety of family-friendly activities suitable for all ages, from children to the elderly.“Each ministry will be on the ground, showcasing their achievements, with a focus on this year’s initiatives. They will also provide various services, such as the Health Ministry’s health screening counter and Madani Sales by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.
“The police have set up traffic summons payment counters offering up to a 60% discount to help the public settle their summonses at a lower cost,” he said on RTM’s Selamat Pagi Malaysia programme yesterday.
The traffic summons discounts attracted a massive crowd to the police counters.
Many visitors described the offer as too good to miss and among them was former teacher C. Rajah, 67.
He praised the initiative of setting up 25 counters for summons checks and payments, including seven for the elderly, pregnant women and persons with disabilities.
He said despite initial concerns about the large crowd, the process was smooth and quick.
