Every year operation “SIKAP” was carried out by Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan or JPJ and met with total failure. Let us ponder and think why the operation is a failure. Undoubtedly accidents cause loss of properties and human capital to the nation. Although we know the reason why we have many road accidents, we are not doing anything to rectify it. We know that road accidents are caused by bad behaviour or bad “SIKAP” on the road but we do not know how to treat bad behaviour or bad “SIKAP”. Who knows the treatment for bad behaviour? Policemen and JPJ officers do not know the treatment for behaviour as it involves the science of human behaviour and the science of medical treatment. Unless there are Policemen or JPJ officers who specialise in the areas of human behaviour and treatment, policemen and JPJ officers will never have a clue on the treatment of human behaviour or “SIKAP”. People who are interested in the treatment of behaviour are doctors who are interested in behavioural therapy. There are very few doctors who are interested in behaviour because most doctors are only interested in removing the symptoms of the diseases and not on the treatment of diseases. Only doctors who are interested in the treatment of diseases holistically are interested in the treatment of behaviour. People such as policemen and JPJ officers who constantly think on catching lawbreakers will not be given the knowledge on behavioural treatment by Allah. Instead they should consult and listen to advice from doctors who specialise in behavioural treatment, and carry out their recommendations.
Every year JPJ officers conduct Operation “SIKAP” or in short “Ops SIKAP” aiming at reducing road accidents. In my opinion “Ops SIKAP” is only in name to reduce accident by improving “SIKAP” of drivers. In reality it is only an operation to issue summons to drivers who do not adhere to traffic rules. It did nothing to improve the “SIKAP” or behaviour of drivers. It is ridiculous to treat bad behaviour with traffic summons. We may issue many summonses to drivers who break the law, but this will prompt them to change their bad behaviour. Behaviour is not related to the issuance of summons. Instead it is related to wrong mindset and wrong belief in driving. As long as we do not change the mindset and belief of our drivers, we will not be able to change their bad driving manners. What can change the mindset and belief of our car drivers, which consequently will change their behaviour for the better? It is not summons or drugs or foods. With all due respect to our law enforcers who are experts in law enforcement, these questions may only be answered by doctors who specialise in behavioural therapy. Mindset and belief can only be changed through spoken words and heard repeatedly over a period of time. The younger the person, and the more repetitive the words are spoken and heard by him, the better will be the results. Our behaviour results from our belief and mindset. Belief and mindset are the result of words we hear and utter repeatedly since the day we were born. We cannot change bad behaviour through eating good food, issuing summons or through punishments or drugs administration. Instead we can change bad behaviour by using a therapy known as self-talk therapy. Self-talk therapy is a therapy to change a person’s mindset and belief, whereby he needs to listen and repeat specific words (short sentences) over and over again for a certain period of time.
About five years ago, I presented the therapy aptly named “PEMANDU BESTARI” to Jabatan Keselamatan Jalan Raya (JKJR) and JPJ. JKJR was impressed, but JPJ was otherwise. JPJ was not interested because, in their view, the inclusion of therapy session requirement will increase the financial burden of consumers. Because of this, the therapy was not used as part of the requirement to obtain or renew driving licence in Malaysia. I think many people including JPJ officials think that it is easy to treat bad behaviour that only by issuing traffic summons to the drivers who flout traffic rules, their bad driving behaviour will be transformed easily to good driving behaviour. How many years have the JPJ officials been conducting the operation known as OPS “SIKAP” but still the bad “SIKAP” or behaviour of Malaysian drivers remain the same or worsening. It is an embarrassing fact that the road accidents statistics is continually on the rise in spite of OPS “SIKAP”. OPS “SIKAP” in my opinion is a total failure. Continuing doing something which has been proven a failure is a sign of utter foolishness. Malaysians are known to have bad behaviour only when they are driving. Bad behaviour while driving is associated with the unique bad qualities that most Malaysians tend to have particularly when they drive. Many Malaysians are highly emotional when they are driving. They can easily get angry or irritated with another driver who is perceived as showing-off their cars or driving ability. Many Malaysians treat the act of driving as a means to show off their flashy cars and driving skill instead of as a means to reach their destination. Many believe and think that their skill and speed in driving, instead of Allah, will cause them to reach their destination. In reality only Allah can cause them to reach their destination safely. When they believe that Allah is the only One who can cause them to reach their destination safely, only then they will drive according to the traffic regulations. Driving following the regulation means we are obeying the orders of Allah. Malaysians must believe that when they are following the traffic rules they are obeying the orders of Allah. Their intention of driving following the traffic rules should be only to please Allah until Allah is pleased. When Allah is pleased Allah will protect and prevent us from all the calamities on the road. Many Malaysians think that driving good cars is a sign of success and driving cars faster than others is a sign of manliness. In reality when a person drives according to the rules laid down by the government they are obeying the orders of Allah. When they obey the orders of Allah to please Allah until Allah is pleased with them, they will become successful.
Many motorcyclists ride against traffic laws because they believe that traffic laws abeyance are meant for drivers and not for them. Riders mainly belong to young groups of people who are highly emotional and ultra sensitive. They regard riding not as a means to reach their destination but as a mean to show off their pride and glamour. Many young motorcyclists use the road as a means to show off their riding skill by riding faster than others. The motorcyclists’ bad behaviour is the result of their wrong beliefs and mindset. “OPS SIKAP” and summons issuing will not eliminate the riders’ bad behaviour. Undoubtedly the government gain money when people settle the summons, but no amount of money collected can offset the loss of properties and human capital. Due to road accidents, our country not only loses properties but also many important and valuable human capitals that we badly need. Road accidents can be prevented and minimised by giving proper treatment for bad behaviour or “SIKAP”. I have presented this to Mr. Surat Singh, the Director General of JKJR and JPJ officials and I think it is time to revisit the use of therapy in preventing road accidents. The introduction of road safety as a subject in our school curriculum will not change the people’s driving behaviour. They may pass the subject on road safety but that does not change their wrong mindset and belief on driving. Knowledge does not change behaviour but mindset and belief do. In order to develop good driving behaviour among Malaysian motorists we urgently need to use the therapy.
Any delay in therapy implementation will result in more accidents on Malaysian road particularly during festive period. With more accidents we will suffer more loss of properties and human life. With the implementation of the therapy we may not expect a sudden drop in road accidents. Instead we may expect to witness a gradual and steady drop in road accidents. We have no other ways to treat bad behaviour. The self-talk therapy is the only method available at the moment which is simple and practical to treat behaviour. Without the government intervention no one will be likely to use the therapy because it is only to change their behaviour. Malaysians will only use the therapy if there are material gains. If the government can impose the rules that driving licence will not be issued unless they pass the test on self-talk therapy, then everyone will take the therapy seriously. If our government is very serious in lowering the road accidents statistics in Malaysia, the government must make it compulsory for all motor vehicle drivers to pass the test on self-talk therapy known as “Pemandu Bestari”. The government can charge the public to buy the therapy programme at a minimum and affordable price. Compared to the huge amount of property and life losses as a result of road accidents, the cost of self-therapy programme is so marginal. In my opinion the use of therapy is so pertinent and effective in reducing the road accidents statistics in Malaysia. Road accidents caused many wives to be widows, husbands without wives and children became orphans. Road accidents are analogous to diseases and it is preventable and treatable. It is the government’s responsibility to take the correct action to stop or at least to reduce the road accidents statistics in Malaysia. Road accidents are not “nasib” or “takdir” that cannot be avoided. Road accidents become our “takdir” because we do not treat the “disease” when we actually have the treatments in our hands.
Our current practice of preferring to issue traffic summons to traffic rules violators will not help us solve our problems in the long run. The statistics of road accidents in Malaysia will continue on the increase following the increase of motor vehicles driven by drivers with bad behaviour. The government must take drastic and practical actions to stop the increase of road accidents. Lectures, advice or songs are insufficient to reduce the number road accidents. The treatment of bad behaviour on the road by using self-talk therapy will Insya’Allah help to reduce road accidents in Malaysia.
Prof Dr Nasoha Saabin
October 2011
Integrative Holistic Wellness Centre