SUKE Highway Emergency Hotline Just For Show?

Perhaps a sight many of Malaysians have encountered - or endured - countless times. (Source: Nic Wang via FB)

Earlier this week, Facebook user Nic Wang shared publicly of an incident he encountered on Tuesday morning, April 25, 2023, whilst on his regular morning commute on the newly-opened SUKE Highway. What Nic encountered is perhaps something many Malaysians has seen or perhaps endured countless times.

As recounted via his public Facebook post, Nic spotted a motorcycle accident victim lying on the ground in perhaps a very risky position – said downed rider was lying on the outer apex of a single-lane corner. Having waved him down for help, Nic promptly stopped to provide assistance and did what any of us would – he tried calling the highway operator’s emergency hotline.

Unfortunately, Nic’s experience of the SUKE Highway’s emergency hotline was frustrating to say the least, having garnered no response despite multiple attempts to reach said hotline via his mobile phone and waiting for up to 30 minutes at one point.

It took nearly an hour before help eventually arrived, as recounted by Nic. (Source: Nic Wang via FB)

Thankfully, Nic was adept enough to get help by calling other emergency hotlines such as the 112 mobile phone emergency dialling code. When that failed as well, he then promptly dialled 999 and, thankfully, operators on this hotline answered in a timely manner and an ambulance was soon despatched.

Though this downed rider incident turned out to be not life-threatening, the fact that Nic received no response from the SUKE Highway emergency hotline, as well as the highway operator PROLINTAS Group’s main office number, should be cause for concern.

Yes, whilst the nation is in the midst of celebrating the festive Hari Raya Aidil Fitri holidays this week, this writer personally believes that this shouldn’t be an excuse for any major highway operator to have no one manning its emergency hotline.

Clearly, someone somewhere in the organisation wasn’t where they needed to be.

Despite repositioning his vehicle some 30 feet behind the crash site with his hazards on, Nic also recounted at least three dozen vehicles zooming past at full highway speeds still. (Source: Nic Wang via FB)

As we await some form of response from PROLINTAS Group, we’ll also highlight the other ugly bit about our motoring culture as highlighted by Nic in his post. It’s sad to see that most Malaysian motorists simply don’t have the decency or compassion for situations as such.

Despite carefully positioning his own car in a relatively visible position – at the corner entry,  some 30 feet behind the crash site – and having his hazard lights on, Nic recounted that at least three dozen other vehicles zoomed past the crash site at full highway speeds.

This is perhaps a reflection at how thoughtless many of us can be on the roads these days.

This could've ended far worse had there been someone manning the hotlines, and perhaps passing motorists slowing down a little instead of zooming past at full highway speeds. (Source: Nic Wang via FB)

Though this incident concluded with no deaths, it could’ve had a better ending had there been someone manning the emergency hotline in the first place. Perhaps a shift in mindset amongst Malaysian motorists to be a little more alert and thoughtful with situations as such would’ve helped a little too.

Either way, we’ll let you gauge this incident for yourselves and leave things here as food for thought. Hit the comments below – as well as on our social handles – with your thoughts.

UPDATE - April 28, 2023 - 12PM

It seems PROLINTAS Group has issued an official response to this incident via its social media pages (FB and IG). The firm says it is now investigating the incident internally, promising "serious and stern disciplinary action" against parties or persons in charge should they be found guilty.

You can view and read the official response embedded below.