Genting bus crash: Tour bus owners could face RM500,000 fine and jail time

The Star

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.  Read more at https://shorturl.at/IYv64  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Transcript

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.

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