Sarawak school team named Malaysia’s champion in VIA Safe Mobility 2025

TotalEnergies, together with Arus Academy, continue to strengthen student learning and leadership through the VIA Safe Mobility, 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 for their strong school-wide engagement and impactful advocacy work. As national winners, the school secured a EUR 5,000 grant from TotalEnergies to implement and advocate their road-safety initiatives.

Their participation also marked a proud moment for Malaysia at the VIA Safe Mobility Regional International Finals, where they competed in a group with champions from India, Iraq, and Romania — part of a broader field of 24 VIA-participating countries across the region.

“Safety is a fundamental value at TotalEnergies, especially when it comes to 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 build safer school environments and be advocates for positive change.”

“At Arus Academy, we believe that students learn best when they are given the opportunity to solve real problems that matter to them,” said David Chak, Co-Founder of Arus Academy. “The VIA Safe Mobility programme has shown how powerful this approach can be. Each year, we see students taking ownership of their projects, building critical thinking skills, and working collaboratively to advocate for safer mobility in their communities. Team Safety Squad’s effort is a strong example of how authentic learning can create meaningful impact.”

School safety concerns near busy bypass

Situated 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 students and teachers alike.

Against this backdrop, Team Safety Squad anchored their VIA project on the mobility challenges surrounding the school. Guided by teachers, the 10-member team conducted an on-site observational audit of the drop-off area and pedestrian zones, documenting vehicle flow and foot traffic during peak hours. Their recommendations included establishing a crosswalk 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 among 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.

Team Safety Squad 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. This included the “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 high school students.

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