For Malaysian drivers, there’s probably a time in your life where you find yourself driving calmly, only to switch into panic mode a second later when you see a group of police officers escorting a VIP right behind.
A woman recently took to social media to recount how she and her children were placed in a dangerous situation when a VIP convoy kept forcing her to switch lanes in order to make way when the coast still wasn’t clear to do so.
No “safe space” to switch lanes
In a Threads post, the OP said she crossed paths with the convoy along the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) at around 4.40pm on Tuesday, where she claimed a police officer kept pestering her to switch lanes.
What exactly did you expect me to do? Drive into the truck beside me? You kept forcing me to move over when there was literally no safe space.
“My kids were in the car and their lives matter more than any VIP. I will NEVER risk my children’s safety just because you’re impatient,” she wrote.
Aggression
When the OP finally switched lanes when it was safe for her to do so, she thought it would bring the incident to a close.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case at all.
She claimed the same police officer came right beside her car and gestured at her aggressively “like she had committed a crime”.
“If you’re a police officer, then act like one. Your job is to protect lives, not intimidate drivers into making dangerous decisions. No VIP is more important than the safety of the public.
“We deserve to get home to our families too. Today, you didn’t make me feel protected. You made me feel unsafe.”
Under the Police Act 1967, those who fail to make way for VIP convoys risk sitting in jail for two years or a paying a RM10,000 fine.
Additional comments
Speaking to WeirdKaya, the OP, who requested to be anonymous, said she was returning from lunch with her kids as it was her off day.
She added her initial reaction towards the police officer pressuring her to switch lanes was one of panic, which later turned into anger as she believed it put her and her kids in danger.
She also said her kids were “confused” by the encounter.
When asked whether she plans to file an official complaint, the OP said she doesn’t intend to do so as her car wasn’t equipped with a dashcam and she didn’t manage to record any number plates.
She also advised those who encounter VIP convoys to stay calm at all times and not act recklessly as it may bring more harm than good.
Similar experiences
From the comment section, it seemed the OP wasn’t the only one who had an unpleasant experience with VIP convoys, with netizens also sharing about theirs too.
Another suggested signing a petition urging the authorities to get rid of VIP convoys once and for all.
What do you think of this incident? Share with us in the comments!
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