Operator of express bus that crashed in Malaysia will be held accountable: Transport Minister

“We are investigating and looking into the matter,” Apad director-general Azlan Shah Al Bakri told The Straits Times.

Transport analyst Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said the illegal subcontracting of buses in Malaysia is common due to weak enforcement, regulatory complexity and economic incentives.

“Some operational sharing of (express buses) is inevitable, but subcontracting must be declared, approved and audited,” added Mr Wan Agyl, the founder and chief executive of transport think-tank MY Mobility Vision.

In a statement issued late on Oct 14, Express Senibudaya confirmed that one of its buses was involved in a road accident on Oct 11.

“Our team has been fully focused on assisting the injured passengers, supporting the family members, and cooperating closely with the authorities in the ongoing investigation. We want to ensure that all verified and accurate information was obtained before issuing this statement publicly.”

“Safety remains our utmost priority, and we are conducting a thorough internal review to strengthen our operational and safety procedures,” it added.

The statement did not address Super Nice’s claim that the bus involved in the crash was being operated without authorisation by its former business partner, Express Senibudaya.

Meanwhile, at the press conference on Oct 14, Mr Loke also announced more stringent enforcement of overloaded lorries, which are seen as the main cause of major accidents in the country.

Previously, firms caught operating overloaded vehicles were issued a RM300 (S$92) compound fine – a penalty seen as insufficient to deter such practices.

“We feel it’s ineffective to deter heavy vehicle operators by just issuing a RM300 fine. The profit from an overloaded trip is often far greater than the penalty. Some operators treat the summons as just another operational cost,” he said.

Under the new approach, a compound fine will still be meted out for the first offence. But for a second offence, the vehicle’s permit will be revoked. A third offence will result in the suspension of the company’s entire operating licence.

“If a company has 500 licensed lorries, all will be bungkus (suspended),” Mr Loke warned.

As part of a special safety audit operation run by the Road Transport Department, 54.4 per cent of 500 high-risk transport companies failed to pass the safety assessment carried out between June 23 and July 31.