KUALA LUMPUR: The speed limit on federal and state roads will be reduced by 10kph to 20kph for three weeks during the Hari Raya festive period. 

Anyone going beyond 80kph will be booked. The present speed limit on state and federal roads is 90kph.

The decision was made by a committee headed by the Works Ministry tasked with finding ways to reduce accidents on the roads during Hari Raya.

Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the committee?s goal was an accident-free Hari Raya this year.

"We want to inform drivers and motorcyclists to be careful on the roads, because there will be eyes watching them," he said after chairing his ministry's post-cabinet meeting yesterday.

The lower speed limits will be in force from Oct 7 to 21. Samy Vellu said thousands of officers from several agencies would be on duty to enforce them. 

"And flags will be put up at ?black spots? to remind motorists they are driving in accident-prone areas," he said, adding that only the speed limit on the North-South Expressway would not change.

This is only one of the measures taken by the committee, comprising representatives from the police, the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, Public Works Department, Road Transport Department, Road Safety Department and others, to reduce accidents during the festive season.

The RTD will help the police mend the watchtowers along the nation?s highways and put up temporary signboards to remind motorists of the new speed limits. 

A team will be set up to help in any emergency, and lorries will have to stay off all highways and federal and state roads on Oct 10 and 11 and Oct 20 and 21. 

Apart from these short-term measures, the ministry also has long-term plans to reduce the accident rate. 

Samy Vellu said the cabinet has approved RM480 million to build 325km of motorcycle lanes along federal roads nationwide. 

"We want to separate the motorcycle lane from the road. If we keep both the vehicles together, motorcyclists will never listen. The moment they sit on the bike, they forget the law," he said.

Samy Vellu also noted that there are 157 "black spots" nationwide, where most accidents take place. Among the most dangerous are the Jerangau-Jobor road in Terengganu, Lipis-Merapoh road in Pahang and the Gerik-Jeli road in Perak. 

He said RM125 million had been allocated to upgrade the roads at all "black spots" in the country within two years.