INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELEASE SAFE KIDS MALAYSIA UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA WON PRINCE MICHAEL INTERNATIONAL ROAD SAFETY AWARD 2017 December 12, 2017, The Savoy, Strand, London, United Kingdom: Safe Kids Malaysia Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) won the prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award 2017. UPM's Safe Kids Malaysia won this award for its flagship program on Motorcycle Child Helmet Initiative carried out among primary school children in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Safe Kids Malaysia Executive Director Associate Professor Dr. Kulanthayan KC Mani received the award from His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent. Accompanying Associate Professor Dr. Kulanthayan KC Mani was Professor Dato Dr. Abdul Jalil Nordin, Dean Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Safe Kids Malaysia Universiti Putra Malaysia as a member of Safe Kids Worldwide USA and Global Alliance of NGOs on Road Safety in the international platform and at local level, as a member of National Road Safety Council of Malaysia (MKJR) has been working on child road safety issues since its inception in 2011. In 2016, it took a focused approach to champion on Motorcycle Child Helmet Initiative in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. This focused initiative with the full support from both local and international partners were able to yield good results in increasing the Motorcycle Child Helmet Usage in a year among children from 3.6% to 35.5% after the intervention as well as an increase of adult rider motorcycle helmet usage from 75.6% to 87.3. With the increase in usage of motorcycle helmets among both adult rider and child passenger, it is hoped this will reduce number of head injuries and fatalities in an event of road crash.     According to Mr. Adrian Walsh, Director of Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards Program, His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent has approved the recommendation of the Judging Panel that Safe Kids Malaysia Universiti Putra Malaysia should receive an award based on its well-conceived intervention which illustrated good knowledge transfer with very positive results showing an increased in helmet usage. Universiti Putra Malaysia Vice Chancellor Professor Datin Paduka Dato Dr. Aini Ideris is proud of Safe Kids Malaysia which is based in Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia for its excellent achievement in its community engagement program by empowering the community with road safety knowledge. Road Safety Department of Malaysia Director General Dato Rosli Isa congratulated Safe Kids Malaysia Universiti Putra Malaysia for its achievement and valued the partnership with his Road Safety Department in the Motorcycle Child Helmet Initiative. High Commission of Malaysia in UK representative Associate Professor Dr. Zainal Abidin Sanusi - Minister Counsellor (Education) joined the event which was also attended by the Jesse Norman MP – Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Roads, Transport and Devolution of UK.            About Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards: The Prince established his awards scheme in 1987 in the UK and now fully international, the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards recognise achievement and innovation in road safety worldwide.

Date of Input: 13/12/2017 | Updated: 20/09/2018 | h_khairi