UTHM AND PISB STUDY KOREAN TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE ACCIDENT IMPACT

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (Bernama)-- The Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
(UTHM) and Portland International Sdn Bhd (PISB) Wednesday forged a strategic
cooperation in research and development (R&D) on initiatives to reduce the
impact of accidents.

PISB managing director, Izz Mika'il Abdullah, said the joint venture was
aimed at studying the extent the technology, that is, the "crash barrier" and
"crash cushion" systems from Korea, could be applied on every highway in the
country to reduce the impact of accidents on the drivers and passengers of the
vehicles concerned.

"The system which will be placed at all toll plazas and exits of the
expressways throughout the country is capable of reducing the impact of
accidents such as fatalities because the technology is capable of absorbing the
crash impact at a speed of 80km per hour," he told reporters after signing the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UTHM, here Wednesday.

The MoU was signed by Izz Mika'il and UTHM assistant Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr
Jailani Md Yunos.

Izz Mika'il said PISB would introduce the technology to the government
and
the relevant ministries if the R&D between the two parties had been completed.


Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA),
Datuk Ir. Ismail Md. Salleh said the initiative aimed to raise the service
quality of the expressways in the country besides reducing the maintenance cost
for repairs in case of accidents.

He said it was time for Malaysia to use the Korean technology as the country
was among the developing countries that recorded the highest number of fatal
accidents each year.

-- BERNAMA