PM’s convoy given priority over ambulance to prevent accidents, say police

The police today said that the move to stop a four-wheel drive vehicle and an ambulance at an intersection to allow the convoy of a VIP to pass through in Hulu Langat, a video of which went viral on social media, was to prevent accidents from occurring as the entourage was already on the main road.

Selangor Traffic Investigation and Enforcement chief Azman Shari’at said there would have been a risk of an accident and danger to other road users if the traffic policeman did not stop the four-wheel-drive and the Malaysian Red Crescent Society ambulance from exiting the intersection.

As such, he said the traffic policeman on duty made an initial assessment to give priority to the convoy on the main road.

“The traffic policeman made an initial assessment before stopping the two vehicles just for a brief moment because the lead vehicle of the convoy was nearing the intersection,” he said in a statement today.

The statement was issued to explain the action taken by the traffic police after a video showing a four-wheel-drive and an ambulance being stopped at an intersection to give way to a convoy escorted by the police went viral on social media yesterday.

The incident was believed to have occurred at 11.30am when Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s convoy escorted by police was checking out the cleaning work undertaken by the relevant agencies in flood-affected areas in Hulu Langat.

Azman said once the convoy had passed the intersection, the traffic policeman took immediate action to ensure that the ambulance and the four-wheel-drive vehicle passed through.

“The police are also concerned and committed to giving priority to public interests, especially when it involves the safety of road users and emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire engines,” he added.