Genting bus crash: Tour bus owners could face RM500,000 fine and jail time
The owners of the tour bus company involved in the Genting Highlands crash on Saturday could face a fine of RM500,000 and jail time, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He also announced that a major crackdown on tour buses will begin at 6am Tuesday (July 2), saying that joint enforcement operations will be conducted over the next few weeks.
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He also announced that a major crackdown on tour buses will begin at 6am Tuesday (July 2), saying that joint enforcement operations will be conducted over the next few weeks.
Read more at https://shorturl.at/IYv64
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
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NewsTranscript
00:00One more thing I would like to inform you about is our investigation against a tour bus operator
00:17who was involved in an accident in Kenting, Sempah, two days ago.
00:25The tour bus company has 15 tour bus operators and 18 bus operators.
00:36The bus that was involved in the accident has expired on 16 February 2024.
00:45This means that the vehicle that was involved in the accident,
00:50not only did the driver not have a driving license,
00:53the bus had also expired and had exceeded the allowed time.
00:59Because the age of the bus had exceeded 15 years.
01:03It had expired on 16 February last year.
01:08But they were still operating.
01:10So, the Ministry of Transport was serious about this accident
01:16because this accident clearly showed that the company did not comply with the law,
01:24did not comply with the requirements in their permit,
01:27allowed the driver who did not have a license to drive,
01:31and the bus itself had also exceeded the age of the permit.
01:36So, the Ministry of Land Transport has issued a notice of reason to them today
01:45and they were given three days to respond to the notice of reason.
01:49But I have instructed the Ministry of Land Transport to take the strictest action against this company
01:57because this is a violation of the law that is very clear.
02:04The bus did not have a permit, the driver did not have a license.
02:07So, it caused the accident and the loss of two lives.
02:11And of course, it damaged the image of the country
02:14because it involved foreign tourists.
02:17So, we will take action,
02:20not only against the permits in this company,
02:27but we at the Ministry of Transport through the Ministry of Road Transport
02:33also propose to take action
02:37under Section 42, Section 2 of the 2010 Act of the Ministry of Land Transport
02:43which we rarely invoke this section.
02:47This section states,
02:49a license holder who does not comply with any of the conditions imposed on the license
02:54under this section,
02:56commits a crime and may, if proven,
03:00be fined no more than RM500,000
03:03or imprisoned for no more than two years,
03:06or both.
03:08So, this section will be used by the JPJ
03:11to investigate and then take legal action
03:17against the license holder of this company.
03:20The driver is under police investigation.
03:23The police will of course take action and investigate.
03:27And I understand that the driver has been detained
03:30for a few days for further investigation.
03:33The company in charge,
03:35which is the license holder of this tourist bus,
03:38must also be held accountable.
03:40And we will take action
03:42under the documents stipulated under the 2010 Act of the Ministry of Land Transport.
03:47The JPJ will start a joint office
03:50starting tomorrow morning
03:52against tourist buses.
03:55So, we will have a major crackdown
03:58on all tour buses,
04:00beginning tomorrow.
04:02All tourist buses
04:04in areas where we have traffic jams
04:07will be inspected.
04:09How about the investigation?
04:11Will the JPJ or the Ministry of Land Transport
04:13investigate the license holder of the bus
04:15using the plate number?
04:17Yes, all aspects will be investigated.
04:19But it is clear that
04:21we have done an investigation.
04:24The bus, according to the registration number,
04:27does not have a permit.
04:29The permit has expired.
04:31As stated,
04:33the permit expired
04:35on 16th February.
04:37It has been more than 4 months.
04:39It has expired.
04:41This is a special section
04:44for tourist buses.
04:46I will read it.
04:48In section 42, paragraph 1,
04:50it is a condition for each license holder
04:52issued under this section
04:54that the bus is in good condition
04:56and can be used
04:58as specified by the Director of Road Traffic.
05:01b.
05:02That the license holder
05:04and his employees
05:05who drive the bus
05:07give the highest priority
05:09to the safety of passengers,
05:11tour guides,
05:12on the bus
05:14and other road users,
05:16and especially,
05:18ensure that all provisions in this document
05:20and all other laws
05:22that are related to things
05:24that are listed below
05:26are followed
05:28and related to the bus
05:30and related to its use
05:32or its operation.
05:34The speed limit
05:35related to the bus
05:37or its class,
05:38as it is used,
05:39heavy with limits
05:40and without limits
05:41for tourist buses,
05:42the construction,
05:43use,
05:44and equipment of the bus
05:45in general
05:46and the special tourist bus
05:48according to which are related,
05:50and that the obligation
05:51of a license holder
05:52under these four sections
05:54is fully complied with.
05:56So,
05:57it is clear that
05:58what is said here
06:00is to give the highest priority
06:02to the safety of passengers.
06:04So, it is clear that
06:06they do not take
06:08concern
06:10about the priority of safety.
06:12The driver is no longer licensed,
06:14the vehicle has exceeded the age limit,
06:16so it is clear
06:18that it violates the conditions
06:20that we have set,
06:21and indeed our laws are strict,
06:23but the compliance
06:25is not complied with
06:26by this bus company.
06:28This is something
06:30that we are very angry about,
06:32that the driver
06:34does not comply with the conditions.
06:37We have SOP,
06:38not that there is no SOP.
06:39There are clear conditions,
06:41not that there are no conditions.
06:42He has to do a vehicle inspection,
06:44he has to renew the permit,
06:46he has a vehicle age limit,
06:47and so on,
06:48but he breaks everything.
06:50This company breaks everything.
06:53So, that is the problem,
06:55that we have an irresponsible driver.
07:00So, when there is a driver like this,
07:02of course,
07:03a firm action must be taken
07:05to send a strong message
07:07to other players in the industry.
07:09You mentioned tomorrow
07:11there is going to be a major crackdown.
07:13Yes.
07:15On two buses,
07:17and vans,
07:18nationwide.
07:19Yes.
07:20Okay.
07:23We will not tell you where.
07:27If we tell you where,
07:28he will avoid that area.
07:30Of course, when we say operation,
07:32we have given you notice
07:33that there is an operation.
07:34He will take care of it.
07:36If he does not want to be hit,
07:37he will make sure
07:38that he complies with the conditions
07:40and regulations.
07:41I am very kind already.
07:43I am giving you notice.
07:45Okay.
07:46If I want to be naughty,
07:48I will not give you notice.
07:49Just do it.
07:50Okay.
07:51I have given you notice
07:52that starting tomorrow at 6 am,
07:54there will be a joint office.
07:57Okay.
07:58This will last for a few weeks.