So many laws, so little enforcement

The Star Online

There is sufficient legislation governing the express bus industry which is responsible for the lives of many but lax enforcement remains the problem.

CAN our officials in charge of road safety and politicians please shut up and stop appearing in front of television cameras each time a bus tragedy occurs?

Their oft-repeated views hold little value, especially to the families of innocent passengers killed in accidents caused by rogue drivers or sleepyheads not fit for driving.

In the latest tragedy last Saturday, a double-decker express bus skidded and crash into the divider on the North-South Expressway (NSE) in Ipoh, leaving 10 passengers dead and three injured.

There always a big hue and cry after each tragic episode. A customary probe and an increased enforcement are the usual knee-jerk responses.

But we expect the checks and issuance of summonses to peter out, especially when bus drivers retaliate by not turning up for work.

Operators would plead with the authorities to go easy on enforcement and soon enough, it will be back to the old “close-one-eye” scenario until the next tragic accident.

May I suggest that top officials of the Road Transport Department, the Road Safety Department, and senior traffic police officers take a drive on the 880km NSE at night?

They should be able to experience the scare of driving next to speeding express bus drivers and tour bus drivers, including those from our strict-on-rules southern neighbours.

Passengers and other motorists are subjected to huge risks by these reckless daredevils, who also include texting truck drivers,

My closest shave with one of them came between the Seremban and Malacca stretch around midnight on Dec 23.

An express bus that must have been running at 130kmh, forced me off the fast lane to the middle lane near Rembau area.

While I was still in the lane a short distance down, another express bus and a Singapore-registered tour bus overtook my car on the right AND the left.

At the speed these buses run, it is a miracle that deaths are not daily occurences.

Part of the problem is the poor pay given to drivers in what must surely be a lucrative business that has 187 players and more clamouring to come in.

With a basic salary as low as RM500, drivers have to earn “trip allowances” to take home between RM2,000 and RM3,000 a month. That usually means forgoing sleep or staying awake with the help of drugs.

Their use of psychotropic pills is old hat but the issue remains unresolved.

Two years ago, the Consumers association of Penang (CAP) highlighted the confession of a drug user — an express bus driver who had been plying the Kuala Lumpur-Terengganu route for 10 years.

With the the pill, he said “eyes were awake but the brain is asleep”, adding that most drivers tend to speed because they would otherwise feel sleepy.

His confession came in the wake of the country’s worst express bus tragedy. Twenty passengers died when the bus heading from Johor Baru to Alor Star, skidded and overturned on the expressway near Bukit Gantang, in Perak.

In the 4am accident, the bus crashed through the guardrail, continued its run into a concrete drain and fell into a 6m ravine.

The express bus industry is responsible for the lives of many. There are sufficient laws under the police, Road Transport Department, Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board and the Road Safety Department to governing the industry.

But as always, the problem lies with lax enforcement.

In addition to the laws, we now have the Safety Health and Environment Code of Practice (SHE COP) for the sector.

The SHE code was developed in 2007 after a series of high profile accidents involving commercial vehicles, notably the Bukit Gantang crash.

The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), has since conducted a commendable study on its effectiveness.

Miros evaluated speeding violations using Global Positioning System (GPS) units installed in selected buses.

According to Miros director-general Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, the number of bus accidents dropped by as much as 36%.

But SHE is just a code and not compulsory. There are 165 fleet operators out there who have yet to comply with its requirements.

The Cabinet Committee on Road Safety chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, which is scheduled to meet soon, should seriously think about making the code mandatory for all commercial vehicles.

With self-regulation being the focus of the code, express bus firms must bear more responsibilities, with CEOs made accountable for accidents involving their buses.

The onus should be on the companies to initiate the right policies, set up effective organisation and frameworks for planning and implementation, conduct evaluations and take actions for improvement.

But then again, if the code is made compulsory as yet another punitive law, would there be effective enforcement?

> Associate Editor M. Veera Pandiyan likes this quote by Austrian satirist Karl Kraus: What good is speed if the brain has oozed out on the way?

Lowly-paid and exhausted drivers behind most accidents

PETALING JAYA: They are underpaid, undertrained and overworked. And they lie at the bottom of the pile as far as commercial vehicle drivers are concerned.

While lorry and truck drivers can earn between RM4,000 and RM5,000 a month, non-unionised bus drivers get as little as RM500 in basic salary.

To make ends meet, they have to work overtime, drive more trips and in so doing, forgo their sleep.

This, many say, is the real reason why shocking express bus accidents still occur with horrifying regularity.

Checks with trade organisations and unions revealed that bus drivers are among the lowest paid drivers of commercial vehicles.

The Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association (PMBOA) and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) say the average pay for a driver with five years’ experience is between RM2,000 and RM3,000 including allowances. Lorry drivers are paid much more.

The lower salary tends to compel drivers to work longer than they should, and some take drugs to stay awake.

TWU secretary-general Datuk Zainal Rampak believes there are about 2,000 non-unionised drivers compared to over 4,000 who work with companies which allow union representation.

“Records show that many accidents involve express buses companies whose drivers are not unionised,” he said.

He pointed out that the employees of Sani Express Sdn Bhd, whose bus slammed into a divider on the North-South Expressway near Ipoh killing 10 passengers on Sunday, were not unionised.

However, this does not mean that Sani Express’ drivers are underpaid.

Zainal said another shortcoming was a lack of training for drivers.

The Government, he said, should seriously check on express bus driver training, experience and physical fitness before allowing them to drive long distance.

“Some drivers who have just received their public service vehicle licence have been told to drive long distances immediately,” he said.

PMBOA president Datuk Ashfar Ali said bus drivers are “being paid well”, and he agrees that there should be training for them.

He said the Government should come into the picture by giving soft loans, such as those provided for unemployed graduates, for training for commercial vehicle driving.

“Driving a bus or lorry is a skill. It is like learning to use a computer,” he said.

He said the industry at the moment makes its new drivers work through a trial period on short-haul routes before “graduating” to long-distance drives.

Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board chairman Datuk Halimah Sadique said bus operators must look into the welfare of their drivers as a way to prevent mishaps.

“You can have a bus with a speed limiter and GPS but if the driver is not good or is inexperienced, it defeats the purpose of such technology,” she said.

“This is about the safety of people,” she said.

Currently, there is no centralised training programme for commercial vehicle drivers except for the Road Transport Department test for them to obtain their public service vehicle or goods driving licences.

An attempt was made in 2005 to make drivers of commercial vehicles undergo compulsory training at a privatised training facility but the proposal met strong objections and was postponed indefinitely.

Double decker bus drivers need additional training

IPOH: The Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) has urged the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) to exercise caution when approving permits for double-decker buses.

Its director-general Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said a more capable driver was needed to drive that kind of bus.

”Double-decker buses have different requirements and only professional drivers should be allowed to handle it,” he told a press conference here Sunday.

Dr Ahmad Farhan, who was here with Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh to inspect the ill-fated Sani Express coach, added that drivers handling double-decker buses should be given ample training.

On calls that express bus be barred from travelling at night to curb such incidents, Dr Ahmad Farhan said the institute was against the idea.

”Our research shows that half of the passengers who use express bus services travel at night.”

”If the ban is enforced, passengers would have to use alternative mode of transport like motorcycle,” he said, adding that the institute did not want to take the risk as it encourages the people to use public transport.

The institute’s research also showed that passengers preferred to travel at night as they wanted to optimise their time with their family the next day, said Dr Ahmad Farhan.

”What is more important is express bus companies regulate themselves,” he said.

Suret Singh meanwhile said the department was saddened by CVLB decision not to suspend Sani Express coach’s permit.

”It is not a question of making life difficult for passengers but its to show the Government’s seriousness in tackling the issue,” he said, adding that the people would stop using public transport if it was not assuring.

He also hoped that the incident should be a lesson to all express bus drivers.

”If drivers feel sleepy, they should find a safe place to stop and rest or hand over the vehicle to a co-driver,” he said.

Road Transport Department enforcement director Salim Parlan, who was also present, confirmed that the road tax and the driving license of the express bus driver in question were still valid.

”It was also checked by my officers before it departed from Klang on Friday evening and everything was in order,” he said.

In the 1am Saturday incident, 10 people died after the bus skid and crashed into the divider of the North-South Expressway, 5km away from the Jelapang toll plaza.

Bus skidded before crash, survivor recalls

IPOH: The bus that National Service camp commandant Mohd Razip Fadzil was on had just left the Tapah rest area when he started to doze off.

However, less than an hour after the stop on the North-South Express­way, he was rudely jolted from his slumber and thrown from his seat at the back of the bus to the front near the driver.

“I was too shocked to realise that there had been an accident until I saw bodies in front of me,” he recalled.

Mohd Razip, 43, was admitted to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hos­pital here with four broken ribs. “I am thankful to be alive,” he said.

The horrific crash early yesterday killed 10 passengers and left three injured.

Two of the injured were discharged from the hospital yesterday after receiving treatment.

All 10 victims died on the spot. The impact of the crash caused two to be thrown outside the bus. One of the victims was decapitated.

Another passenger Marziana Mah­­mud, 24, alleged that the driver had appeared drowsy moments be­­fore the accident.

“The vehicle was veering to the left and right before it hit the divider and side railings,” claimed the civil servant who was seated in the front seat on the upper deck.

It was a heart-wrenching scene at the mortuary here as relatives came as early as 8am to claim the victims’ bodies.

Ng Chin Beng, 47, said his eldest daughter Poh Ngoh, 23, had gone to Shah Alam for a job interview.

Ng, who also lost his 14-year-old son Kah Kit in the incident, said Poh Ngoh had graduated from Universiti Utara Malaysia recently.

“She was successful in the interview and they wanted my daughter to start work on Jan 4,” said the father of four in between sobs.

Ng, a businessman, added that his children were to have reached Alor Setar at 5am.

“When they did not arrive, I frantically called their mobile phones.

“The death of my children was confirmed by a policeman who picked up my son’s phone,” he said.

Another victim Noor Jismi Noor­din, 25, was returning to Kangar for his engagement.

His brother Noor Jafni said Noor Jismi, who started working in a printing plant in Shah Alam just three months ago, was to be engaged today.

Mohd Razzekhi Musa, 33, said his father Musa @ Ismail Abdullah had gone to Shah Alam to attend a relative’s wedding.

“I was supposed to pick him up at 3am in Sungai Petani. When he failed to turn up by 4am, I called the police who confirmed my father’s death,” he said.

In Klang, Mohd Arif Andi Shaharin said he last saw his parents Shaharin Mohd Noor and Supiah Adam when they boarded the express bus at the Section 17 bus terminal in Shah Alam on Friday night.

“We never thought it would be the last time we would see them alive,” said Mohd Arif Andi, 23, who has four siblings.

Mohd Arif Andi said his lorry driver father often travelled to the northern states for work and sometimes took his wife along.

He said he was informed of the tragedy at 7am yesterday and rushed with his siblings to Ipoh to claim their parents’ remains.

“We are shattered but accept it as Allah’s will,” said Mohd Arif Andi.

Horror before shift change

IPOH: Driver Mohd Kamil Mohd Ra­­shid was feeling sleepy as his bus was leaving the Tapah rest area.

He had planned to have his co-driver take over at the next stop — the Sungai Perak rest area.

They never made it that far.



The double-decker express bus skidded and crashed into a road divi­der, killing 10 passengers less than an hour later, just 5km before the Jelapang toll plaza.

The 38-year-old driver admitted that he had dozed off prior to the ac­cident, said Ipoh traffic chief De­­puty Supt Mohd Rodzi Rajab.

“He had stopped at the Tapah rest area earlier and planned to change duty with his co-driver at the Sungai Perak rest area,” he said.

Supt Mohd Radzi said that Mohd Kamil tested negative for alcohol and drugs.

Co-driver Mohd Syahridzal Abu Hassan, 24, escaped unhurt.

DSP Mohd Rodzi said Mohd Kamil has been remanded until Wednes-day to facilitate investigations.

He said that the bus had no previous speeding summonses.

However, it is learnt that the driver has a past traffic record.

The double-decker bus, owned by the Klang-based Sani Express Sdn Bhd, skidded before hitting a road di­vider at the 272nd kilometre stretch of the the North-South Ex­­press­­way at 1am yesterday.

All the 10 victims were seated on the lower deck of the bus, which departed from Klang at 9pm on Friday for Kangar in Perlis with 48 passengers.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the Govern­ment should consider ban­­ning night trips by express buses.

“If the move will safeguard the lives of the people, it should be considered,” he said at the Raja Per­mai­suri Bainun Hospital mortuary here yesterday.

Dr Zambry was there to console families of victims in the horrific crash, which also left three injured.

The dead were identified as Shaharin Mohd Noor, 61, and his wife Supiah Adam, 46, of Taman Setia in Klang, Musa @ Ismail Abdul­lah, 64, from Gurun, Mohd Shukri Mohd Ali, 22, of Sungai Besar, Noor Jismi Noordin, 25, from Kangar, Mohd Bilal Osman, 22, from Sungai Besar, siblings Ng Poh Ngoh, 23, and Ng Kah Kit, 14, from Alor Setar, sisters Sharifah Raheel Al-Junid Syed Harun, 21, and Sharifah Hasanah Al Junid Syed Harun, 15, from Sungai Petani.

Sani Express chief executive officer Mejar (R) Haji Abu Bakar Moham­mad said the bus, which had been in service for three months, was well maintained and in good condition.

Initial investigations based on the on-board global positioning system found that the bus was not speeding as it was fitted with a speed-limiter, he said in a statement yesterday.

“We are waiting for investigations to be concluded and we will act ac­­cording to the report,” he said.

He added that his company would fully cooperate with the authorities.

Mejar Abu Bakar also said the company would be allocating some money for the families of each victim.

10 killed, 2 injured in accident in Ipoh

IPOH: Ten passengers died while two were injured, one seriously, after a double-decker Sani Express coach skidded and hit a road divider at KM272.8 North-South Highway heading north eight kilometres from the Ipoh Selatan toll plaza at 1 am.

The 12 people had been seated on the lower deck of the bus, said state traffic police chief Supt Wan Abdullah Ishak said.

The two drivers and 36 other passengers were unhurt, he added.

Wan Abdullah said those killed in the accident were Shaharin Mohd Nor, 61, and Supiah Adam, 46, (believed to Shaharin's wife), both from Taman Setia, Klang, Selangor; Musa alias Ismail Abdullah, 64, from Gurun, Kedah; Mohd Shukri Mohd Ali, 22, of Sungai Besar, Selangor; Noor Jasmi Noordin, 25, from Kangar, Perlis Mohd Bilal Osman, 22, from Sungai Besar, Selangor; Ng Kah Kit, 14, (a boy) and Ng Poh Ngoh, 23, (a woman) from Alor Star, Kedah (their relationship has yet to be established); Sharifah Raheel Al-Junid Syed Harun, 21, from Sungai Petani, Kedah; and a woman believed to be a Malay, who has yet to be identified.-- Bernama

Bus companies to be held accountable for hiring bad drivers

PUTRAJAYA: Public transport companies will be held accountable for hiring drivers with a bad record in a move to stem accidents involving public transport due to “human error.”

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the number of accidents involving public transport was worrying and “something drastic and effective needs to be done to at least minimise this.”

“The first thing to do is to compile a list of drivers employed by transport companies and from there, we will check official records for those who have been involved in accidents, been fined numerous times and for other road offences.

“Once the list is ready public transport companies will be advised accordingly.

“We realise the demand for drivers are high and that is why companies are willing to employ even those who have a bad record.

“But employing such drivers will not help. In fact, it can make matters worse as this allows irresponsible drivers to continue to be on the road.

“With the Hari Raya Aidilfitri coming, all eyes will be on public transportation and I shiver with concern everytime I think of the situation because people need to be assured that not only are the vehicles safe, but the drivers are a responsible lot too,” he told reporters after launching the Scania-Plusliner X-treme double decker bus Monday.

Nazri said companies which employ “bad drivers” would be penalised, which would include losing their permits.

He said laws would also be amended so that companies whose drivers got involved in accidents and committed serious traffic offences would be held responsible.

“We need to show to the public that we are serious in protecting their safety on the road. I will ask the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) to come up with the list soon so that what we have planned for can take effect as soon as possible,” he said.

“As a long term measure, we are looking at the possibility of introducing a driving school for those who wishing to make driving public vehicles their career. Present drivers will also have to undergo refresher courses yearly,” he said.

On another matter, Nazri said he would announce the new ceiling price for public transport on July 16 but declined to elaborate.

“Just wait for the announcement,” he said.

Nazri had earlier said the hike would be “most minimal,” over and above the 30% surcharge which the Government had allowed express bus operators to impose during last year’s Hari Raya.

The surcharge was initially approved by the Government during the one-month Hari Raya period, but express bus operators were allowed to continue charging the increased fare indefinitely after an appeal.

Govt plans GPS devices on buses to curb speeding

THE Government is considering getting bus companies to install Global Positioning System (GPS) devices on buses to keep tabs on speed limit offences by express bus driver.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said that from Aug 18, 2009 the buses must have the equipment before the vehicles are licensed by the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Department.

The GPS mechanism would enable express bus operators to monitor the buses including speed limit offences, Ong told Datuk Johari Abdul (PKR-Sungai Petani) who asked if the ministry had a way to check speeding express buses.

Fatal accidents involving express buses totalled 661 cases from 2000 to last year, while 97 accidents were recorded involving tour buses from 2000 to last year, said Ong.

He said ensuring the safety of passengers should be the onus of the bus companies.

Ong said the Transport Ministry, together with the Department of Occupational Safety and Health have prepared a Safety, Health and Environment code to make express bus companies responsible for the safety of buses and passengers.

Johari continued pursuing the matter by citing a report he had received about a Transnasional express bus which left Sungai Petani at 12.03am and reached Kuala Lumpur at 3.45am.

“Under normal circumstances, the journey from Sungai Petani to Kuala Lumpur cannot be completed within that period (three hours and 45 minutes),” he said, adding that even if an MPV had been driven at 160kph, it would have taken about four-and-a-half hours to reach Kuala Lumpur.

Johari said that many lives could be saved if the speed of the express buses could be monitored.

In reply, Ong said: “It is not an issue of whether to install mechanisms. What is more important is the way things are monitored and handled.”

Govt proposes mechanism to limit bus speed

UALA TERENGGANU: The government has proposed introducing a mechanism to limit the speed of express and stage buses at 90km per hour in a move to ensure passenger safety.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said the suggestion would be brought to the Cabinet for discussion due to the dangerous manner the public transport vehicle was being driven these days.

He said this regulation had been implemented in several developed countries such as Germany and Japan, and he hoped that this would help prevent road fatalities involving bus passengers in the future.

"I don't think there is a need to put up signboards or anything. Express buses are sometimes driven fast in this country, especially now with the existence of doubledecker buses that can put other motorists' lives in danger.

"We must fix the speed limit at 90km per hour...or at whatever suitable speed limit," he said after handing over approval letters to 73 rental car drivers from throughout Terengganu, here, Tuesday.

Also present was Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) chairman, Datuk Markiman Kobiran.

Nazri said that previously, various measures were implemented to get express bus drivers to adhere to the speed limit such as making compulsory the installation of the black boxes and using the Global Positioning System (GPs), but to no avail.

He said the government also suggested establishing a public transport driving school to train future drivers of buses and other public transport vehicles, as well as forming the National Public Tranport Commission.

Nazri said the proposed driving school would be a long term solution, where the participants would undergo a basic course for three to four months before being given a permit to drive a public transport vehicle.

"The school will also record and keep all data and information regarding the drivers, and the records updated to ensure that drivers with offences are not hired by any public transport company," he said.

In another development, Nazri said he had sent the memorandum to all the ministries on the proposed fare increase for all public transport, and was waiting for feedback before the matter could be brought to the Cabinet. - Bernama

Two die, seven hurt in bus and trailer crash

KUANTAN: Two people were killed and seven seriously hurt in a crash between a Transnasional bus and a trailer at Km31 Jalan Kuantan-Maran last night.

The dead were identified as trailer driver Khairil Nizam Mohamed, 31, of Kampung Padang Midin, Kuala Terengganu and bus passenger Sabariah Arif, 32, of Felda Purun, Triang.

Pahang traffic police enforcement officer ASP Zainalabidin Othman said the express bus with 21 passengers was travelling from Kuantan to Temerloh when it collided with the trailer at 8.45pm.

The seven hurt were bus driver Mohd Zaladin Ripin, 42, trailer attendant Yusof Hassan, 47, passengers Tuan Suziyzti Tuan Nor, 24, Aulia Hassan Basri, 32, Mohd Johar Yadin, 56, Abdul Rahman Abdullah, 19, and Raja Ahmad Suari Raja Abu Bakar, 40.

The injured passengers were treated at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Kuantan.

"The bus was believed to have strayed into the path of the oncoming trailer laden with fertilisers," said Zainalabidin.

The crash badly damaged the front part of the trailer while the front half of the bus was also damaged.

Public with information on the crash should contact Kuantan traffic investigation officer Insp Lim Beng Thye at 09-5156111.

Entire bus fleet suspended after fatal accident

PUTRAJAYA: The Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB) has suspended for one month all eight buses belonging to AB Express Sdn Bhd after an audit showed it had failed to comply with travel safety related procedures and neglected training its drivers.

CVLB chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran said the board had conducted an audit after one of the company’s express buses crashed near Rawang last April 13, killing six people.

Initial investigations found that the bus driver Fauzi Mohammed, 34, had eight summonses for speeding, while co-driver Zulkhibri Md Saad, 35, had six summonses and five arrest warrants for the same offence.

Among the board’s findings that led to the suspension, said Markiman, were AB Express’ failure to comply with several procedures under the Safety, Health and Environment Code of Practice (SHE).

He said in a statement that the company failed to produce records as required under SHE to prove it had taken any action with regard to the safety of the buses, travel risk management and the management of its drivers and the fines issued to them.

During the suspension (from yesterday till June 3), the company’s top management must attend courses on SHE organised by the Malaysian Institute for Road Safety Research and the Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH).

SPOTLIGHT: Website receives 10,000 signatures

News Straits Times 19th April 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: When Lee Nian Ning and two others died in a bus crash in Slim River last year, their family and friends set up a website called 'Bus Crash No More'.

They set up a petition drive on the website which netted nearly 10,000 signatures.

Their petition letter, addressed to the minister of transport, opened with the line:

"We, the concerned youths of Malaysia express anger over the Slim River Bus Crash incident that claimed the lives of Lee Nian Ning and two others on Jan 25 2008.

"This is not the first time that such an incident has occurred. Despite numerous complaints and public uproar in the past, incidents like this continue to occur.
"It was reported that the driver's company had 13 summonses on that bus itself. We find it unacceptable that such a company could have operated that vehicle on the road."

There is a blogroll where dozens of bloggers wrote their messages of condolences for her.

While in newspaper reports, Lee was described as just a 21-year-old victim of a bus crash, in the blogs, a picture of the young, exuberant girl emerges from the numerous posts made by friends.

Abby, a schoolmate, wrote: "She had everything going for her. Supermodel gorgeous, super smart, impressive resume, a supportive family, a doting long-time boyfriend, and many, many friends who loved her to bits.

"Who knew when she packed her bags for the trip to KL, that she was going on an entirely different unexpected trip?

"Who knew that when she said goodbye to her family that day, it would be her final farewell?"

Express bus rams into car, killing mom and children

BATU PAHAT: A mother and her two young children were burnt to death after an express bus rammed into their car and set it aflame at KM16 of Jalan Kluang here on Thursday.

Siti Kalsom Borhan, 35, Sahira Aisha, six, and Sahira Aliya Hafiz, three, died on the spot. Their bodies have been sent to the Batu Pahat Hospital for a post-mortem.

The 46-year-old bus driver and his eight passengers escaped unhurt.

Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Ibrahim Aris said both vehicles were heading toward Kluang from Batu Pahat at 11.50am when the accident took place.

He added that the bus driver was overtaking a vehicle on his left when he rammed into the victim’s vehicle, which had stopped at the centre of the road to turn right.

“The impact caused the car to be dragged for about 15m,” he said.

ACP Ibrahim also said that the driver, who hails from Pasir Gudang, is expected to be charged in court Friday under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

He added that investigations also showed that the bus driver has six prior summonses for various traffic offences.

Central system on bus drivers’ history needed

PETALING JAYA: Bus operators have asked for an easier way to check the background of drivers and suggested a centralised system to check for summonses issued to reckless drivers.

Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali said a real-time central database should be set up quickly to allow the operators to see their drivers and potential employees’ summons history.

“Now, the summonses from the Road Transport Department (JPJ), Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) and police are put into separate systems,” he told The Star yesterday.

Because of the lack of update on the database, bus operators found it difficult to trace the summonses issued to errant drivers.

“How would I know when a driver has committed a traffic offence?” he said, adding that the police had even sent notices to some operators and asked for the records of their drivers for the past five years.

“I have told the Government about this many times through press statements and meetings but no one seems to be listening,” he said. Summons records of individual drivers were often “wiped out” as soon as the summonses were paid.

Ashfar also urged the CVLB to blacklist errant drivers and not the vehicles owned by the bus operators.

“They blacklist the vehicles and not the drivers. This prevents the companies from renewing road tax while the drivers get off scot-free,” he said.

JPJ director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan, however, said that the issue was the behaviour of the drivers and whether they had outstanding summonses, not how many summonses they had.

“It’s totally up to the bus operators whether to employ them or not.

“Bus operators must check their drivers’ background and past experiences before hiring. If they want a summons history, all they have to do is check with the JPJ,” he said.

Solah agreed with CVLB director Datuk Markiman Kobiran’s suggestion that bus operators check the background of their drivers to prevent tragedies like Monday’s crash on the North-South Expressway which left six people dead.

6 die, 5 injured in express bus crash

RAWANG: Five passengers and the driver of an express bus died while five others were injured after the bus skidded, hit the divider and overturned at Km443 of the North-South Expressway near here Monday morning.

Police said the accident occurred at about 5.30am after the double-decker bus, carrying 34 passengers from Changlun, Kedah, went out of control.

The dead were Muhamad Ismail, 27, of Kampung Lubuk Batu, Jitra; Mohamad Fauzi Awang, 57, Kampung Siam, Alor Setar; Md Jaheer Mohamad, 33, Kodiang; Mohd Yusril Zakaria, 27, Kuala Muda, Kedah, C.Magentharan, 26, Kelang, and bus driver Zulkhibri Md Saad, 35, of Kubang Ulu, Bukit Mertajam.

All the dead and the injured were sent to the Sungai Buluh Hospital. - Bernama

Express buses encouraged to install GPS

IPOH: Express bus companies are encouraged to install the Global Positioning System (GPS) on all its buses to monitor their movements and location, Perak Road Transport Department director Md Yasir Mastakim said.

Md Yasir said the GPS would help deter bus drivers from committing offences on the road and minimise road accidents. "With the system, drivers would automatically observe self-discipline and follow the rules," said Md Yasir at the launch of Sri Maju Sarata Ekspres Sdn Bhd's double-decker buses here Thursday.

"The GPS will allow bus companies to monitor the location and the speed of their buses from their headquarters," he added. Md Yasir said the system could also help track down how many times their drivers have broken the law.

He added that most bus companies in foreign countries have installed the system in their buses.

Md Yasir said express bus companies should also advise passengers to fasten the seatbelts available on their buses.

"Although the regulation to wear seatbelt on buses has not been enforced, all passengers should be encourage to fasten their safety belts for their safety.

He noted that the regulation would be implemented and is pending approval from the government.

Earlier, Md Yasir launched Sri Maju's two double-decker express buses.

The buses, which started operations Thursday, would ply the Ipoh - Haadyai and Ipoh - Singapore routes.

Bus service only by firms that clear all fines

PUTRAJAYA: Only express bus companies with vehicles cleared of all outstanding police summonses will be allowed to operate additional bus services during the Chinese New Year period.

“The buses should also not have any summonses issued by the Road Transport Department and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board,” said board chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran. He also reminded the companies not to pull out at the last minute or they would be blacklisted.

“The operators are also responsible in monitoring touts at their respective counters. They should not be in cohort with these unscrupulous people by charging consumers more that the permitted fare,” he said in a statement yesterday.