COMMENT | When ambulance drivers put on the siren and accelerate down the road, the one thing they are most worried about is whether the patient can make it to the hospital in time. 

Sirens are only put on during emergencies, every second counts. Thousands of lives are lost every year because of the delay in getting to the hospital.

But in Malaysia, ambulance drivers are worried about whether there will be a VIP on the same road that day. Ambulance drivers can trust other road users to clear the way even in traffic congestions, but they would need to halt to a standstill, for at least 30 seconds, when another VIP wants to blast through.

If you watch the video of the ambulance...