Sarawak School Wins National VIA Safe Mobility Title with Student-Led Road-Safety Campaign

9 January 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: TotalEnergies, in collaboration with Arus Academy, continues to strengthen student learning and leadership through the VIA Safe Mobility programme, a global educational initiative aimed at improving mobility conditions for young people. Now in its fourth year in Malaysia, the 2025 edition saw Team Safety Squad from SJKC Chung Hua Tudan, Miri, Sarawak, emerge as the Malaysian Champion, recognised for its strong school-wide engagement and impactful advocacy efforts.

As national winners, the school received a EUR 5,000 grant from TotalEnergies to implement and further promote its road-safety initiatives.

The team’s achievement also marked a proud moment for Malaysia at the VIA Safe Mobility Regional International Finals, where they competed alongside champions from India, Iraq and Romania, as part of a broader cohort representing 24 VIA-participating countries across the region.

“Safety is a fundamental value at TotalEnergies, especially in the communities where we operate,” said Patricia Law, Sales Director of TotalEnergies Marketing Malaysia.

“The VIA Safe Mobility programme reflects our commitment to equipping young people with practical knowledge and responsible habits that support safer journeys every day. We hope to continue empowering students to create safer school environments and to become advocates for positive change.”

“At Arus Academy, we believe students learn best when they are given opportunities to solve real problems that matter to them,” said David Chak, Co-Founder of Arus Academy.

“The VIA Safe Mobility programme demonstrates the power of this approach. Each year, we see students taking ownership of their projects, strengthening critical thinking skills and collaborating to advocate for safer mobility in their communities. Team Safety Squad’s efforts are a strong example of how authentic learning can generate meaningful impact.”

Located beside the high-speed Jalan Kuala Baram Bypass, officially recognised as one of Miri’s top five accident-prone roads, SJKC Chung Hua Tudan serves a large primary-school community. Its close proximity to fast-moving traffic makes road safety an urgent daily concern for both students and teachers.

Against this backdrop, Team Safety Squad centred their VIA project on the mobility challenges surrounding the school. Guided by their teachers, the 10-member team conducted on-site observational audits of the drop-off area and pedestrian zones, documenting vehicle flow and foot traffic during peak hours.

Their recommendations included the establishment of a pedestrian crossing directly in front of the school. They also identified critical behavioural risks, such as low helmet-safety awareness among Year 1 to Year 3 pupils and the use of old or damaged helmets by younger riders.

To translate their findings into concrete action, the students submitted an official written request to the Miri City Council, calling for the installation of a designated zebra crossing outside the school.

The team then rolled out a wide-reaching safety campaign under the theme “See + Go = Safe. Helmet On, Worries Gone”, combining school-based education with community engagement. Activities included a VIA Safe Mobility Camp reaching more than 1,200 pupils; drawing competitions; an interactive road-safety assembly attended by more than 60 teachers; a community Road Safety Carnival; a Walk for Safe Mobility at Taman Bulatan Miri involving parents and staff; and peer-to-peer engagement sessions at SMK Pujut Miri, which reached an additional 1,000 secondary-school students.

A key development has since followed, with the city council initiating technical assessments for a designated pedestrian crossing in front of SJKC Chung Hua Tudan. Engineers have already completed initial site measurements in response to the students’ request.