Express Bus Drivers Deserve Better

Posted on 13 August 2012 - 06:56pm

Azman Ujang

OVER the next few days, express buses are set to roll out of cities and towns in huge numbers for the Hari Raya "balik kampung" exodus.

Normally, tickets for these trips are sold out well in advance as thousands of people who work in the urban centres join in the big rush back to their hometowns to celebrate the festive occasion.

Besides the established bus companies doing roaring business, there are also others who are given one-off permits to use factory, tourist or even school buses to cope with the high volume of travellers.

Given the high number of express buses criss-crossing the country during the period, sufficient laws are in place by the police, Road Transport Department and Road Safety Department to govern the industry. And due to frequent fatal accidents involving express buses in the last five years, a new set of legislation called the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Code of Practice has been added.

This has created greater awareness and concern among operators over passenger safety. There is also the fear of having their permits suspended or revoked in cases where bus accidents result in many deaths.
As far as enforcement is concerned, there seems to be an upsurge during the Ops Sikap safety campaign which runs a week before and a week after the festive season. This year, Ops Sikap has been renamed Ops Selamat.

But for the most part of the year, the problem lies with lax enforcement and this is when accidents involving express buses are reportedly on the rise.

While many bus companies are investing heavily on new fleets of luxury and double-decker buses, they don't seem to be particularly generous when it comes to the welfare of what I consider to be the most important people in the industry – the bus drivers.

I sat down last week with two drivers at Kuala Lumpur's Hang Tuah Bus Station to get their side of the story and true enough, the impression I got was that the people behind the wheel carrying so many lives on long and monotonous journeys are a demotivated lot.

"Do you have basic pay and how many days off do you have in a week?" I asked.

It came as a shock to me to find that they don't even have a basic salary and are on the road most of the week.

They are paid "trip allowances" of RM80 a trip and to take home between RM2,000 and RM3,000 a month, they have to make as many trips as possible, foregoing sleep and rest.

The Consumers' Association of Penang once highlighted the case of bus drivers staying awake with the help of psychotropic pills. It cited the confession of a drug-using driver plying the Kuala Lumpur-Terengganu route for 10 years. With the pill, he said "eyes are awake but the brain is asleep", adding that most drivers tend to speed because they would otherwise feel sleepy.

The bus drivers I spoke with said most accidents tend to happen towards the end of a long journey when the body is fatigued.

A lot of factors have been blamed for fatal express bus accidents but common sense dictates that a sleepy driver is a major cause, and this seems to be ignored by the authorities and industry players.

In cases where the driver also gets killed in an accident, the authorities investigating the tragedy can not determine the cause because a dead men tell no tales.

Malaysia's worst ever road accident occurred at 4.20am on Aug 13, 2007 when an express bus from Johor Baru skidded and overturned near Bukit Gantang in Perak, killing 20 people including the driver.

According to co-driver V. Veeraman, the driver Rohizan Abu Bakar, had driven 700km over nine hours with only a brief break in between on that fateful day.

Although the two-driver regulation was in place then, it proved to be useless because, according to Veeraman, he himself was fast asleep when the accident happened.

On Dec 26, 2009, 10 passengers died when the express bus they were travelling in crashed through a guardrail near the Ipoh toll plaza. Driver Mohd Kamil Rashid told police he was sleepy at the time of the crash. Being sleepy proved to be no defence as Mohd Kamil is now serving a four-year jail sentence.

There is no excuse whatsoever for a co-driver, who is supposed to take over in the event the first driver becomes tired or sleepy, to be fast asleep as in the Bukit Gantang tragedy.

The fact that this is still happening goes to show that bus companies have done little or nothing to give their drivers a better deal.

To enhance road safety, the government set up a Road Safety Department a few years ago. But this department has not been able to enforce the mandatory use of safety belts on board express buses, despite the high death toll in crashes. If such regulations can be enforced on car drivers and passengers, why not on express bus passengers and drivers?

I'm told that this is because many buses have plywood flooring which is not strong enough to retrofit anchorage points for seat belts. This means that, although on the outside our express buses look tough and modern, the flooring is not up to international standards and poses high safety risks.

The Transport Ministry should revisit this aspect given the vulnerability of these vehicles. It's also time for another rule to enhance the status of bus drivers through more caring incentives.

Everyone must play their part in ensuring safe travel this festive season.

Azman Ujang is a former editor-in-chief of Bernama. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Four die in bus-trailer accident near Behrang

PETALING JAYA: Three students and a teacher from SMK Air Merah, Kulim, died after the chartered bus they were travelling in was involved in an accident with a trailer laden with sand at KM382 on the North-South Expressway near Behrang.

The students were on their way from Kulim to Genting Highlands in the 4.45am incident.

Five remain critically injured at the Slim River Hospital. Another 25 were were also injured.

A PLUS official said efforts to extricate the bodies were still ongoing while details of how the accident happened and what caused the bus to overturn remain unclear.

Express bus plunges into drain, 25 hurt

KULAIJAYA: Three people, including a Cambodian tourist, sustained major injuries and 22 others suffered minor cuts when the express bus they were travelling in went out of control and plunged into a drain.

The incident occurred around 4.40am at KM19 along the Ayer Hitam-Johor Baru stretch here Monday.

A passenger said the accident occured a few minutes after the bus had passed the toll station in Kulai, when the vehicle swerved violently, hit a divider and plunged into the drain.

Several passengers, who claimed the bus was speeding, were thrown out of the vehicle.

Johor Baru (North) deputy OCPD Supt Mohd Akhir Ishak said police were questioning the 45-year-old bus driver, adding that all passengers were sent to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital for treatment.

He said only three passengers sustained major injuries and this included the Cambodian tourist, who broke his left leg.

27 killed as tour bus overturns in Cameron Highlands

IPOH: Twenty-seven passengers of a tour bus were killed after the vehicle hit a divider and overturned on its way down from Cameron Highlands Monday.

Twenty-two died at the scene of the accident and five at the Raja Permaisuri hospital here. Another 10 injured, four of whom are men, were being treated at the hospital. Two of the men were said to be in critical condition.

This is believed to be the worst road accident in the nation's history.

Those killed were two Malaysians and 25 Thai nationals. The bus had 37 passengers onboard, 34 of them Thai tourists.

According to Perak state deputy CPO SAC Datuk Zakaria Yusof, the cause of the accident could have been speeding or brake failure.

"The driver was trying to negotiate a sharp bend but failed, causing the vehicle to hit a divider before overturning.

"The bus landed on its roof in a ditch about 51m away from the divider," SAC Zakaria said, adding that the impact killed 22 of the victims on the spot.

The accident occured at KM15 of the Cameron Highlands-Simpang Pulai road at 11.40am. The bus was heading to Kuala Lumpur from Cameron Highlands.

It is learn that the excursion bus company is registered in Jitra.

The impact of the crash was so severe that bodies were flung several metres away from the wreckage while others were trapped deep in the mangled vehicle.

It took about 100 police, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department and Public Works Department personnel over three hours to retrieve the bodies.

The wreckage was finally towed downhill at about 4pm, causing massive jams on both sides of the road as far as 5km away.

It is learnt that of the 10 survivors, one was discharged after being treated for minor injuries, three were undergoing surgery and the rest warded, as at 7pm.

Meanwhile, the police have issued the names of 26 of those killed. They are:

1.Omar Shahidan, 48 (male, Malaysian bus driver)
2. Soontorn a/l Kian, 38 (male, Malaysian tour guide of Siamese descent)
3. Charcart Knagsuwan, 48 (male)
4. Thanvaraj Poolsang, 36 (female)
5. Nutthiya Inyyim, 50 (female)
6. Poonporn Poolsaene, 41 (male)
7. Sumruay Swatphet, 48 (male)
8. Putharee Akkrarachaw Wanont, 42 (female)
9. Ponethanest Akkrarachaw Wanont, 45 (male)
10. Suchanchida Chaiaueai, 40 (female)
11. Sriwai Swatphet, 42 (female)
12. Prinya Prassakulchai, 48 (female)
13. Chutima Throukool, 25 (female)
14. Thitisak Pongtanarat, 51 (male)
15. Junpen Pongtanarat, 50 (female)
16. Phayong Kruanjinli, 59 (male)
17. Ekachai Na Bangxang, 64 (male)
18. Mantana Phromduag, 51 (female)
19. Rungnada Klungsawan (female)
20. Darunee Songserm (female)
21. Isariya Thiangtham, 25 (female)
22. Ampaiwan Thiangtham, 50 (female)
23. Maliwan Mekmahaprom, 53 (female)
24. Achara Wiwat, 36 (female)
25. Natkritta Poolsaeng, six, (female)
26. Weera Chuntanagon (male)

Major bus accidents in Malaysia in recent years:

Dec 17: Four prison officers killed after a Prisons Department bus plunged into a ravine along the hilly and winding Tambunan-Kota Kinabalu trunk road.

Oct 29: Seven passengers, aged between 13 and 28, killed after their bus skidded and overtured at KM38 Genting Sempah, while enroute to Kuala Lumpur. It was later revealed the driver of the bus had no valid driving licence.

Oct 10: Thirteen killed in bus crash along KM223 of the North-South Expressway (NSE), near the Simpang Ampat toll plaza.

Dec 25, 2009: Ten killed after a double-decker express bus skidded and hit a road divider at KM272.8 of the NSE, after the Ipoh Selatan toll plaza (northbound).

Dec 7, 2008: Ten dead after an express bus skided and overturned at KM146.5 of the NSE, near Pagoh, Johor.

Aug 13, 2007: One of the worst road crashes in Malaysian history claims 22 lives. The bus they victims were in crashed at KM229 of the NSE, near the Bukit Gantang rest area.

March 9, 2007: Six killed after an express bus plunged into a ravine at KM254, NSE, near the Sg Perak rest and recreation area.

July 30, 2006: Eleven pilgrims to the annual St Anne's Feast in Penang were killed when their chartered bus overturned at KM160.8 of the NSE, near the Jawi interchange at Nibong Tebal.

Nov 23, 2003: Fourteen killed when an express bus collides with another bus at KM63, Jalan Lipis-Merapoh near the Pahang-Kelantan border.

Revoked: Licences of two bus companies involved in two fatal crashes

It took the lives of dozens for them to revoke the licences of these two bus companies.

Why can't they do something to stop these accidents/offences once and for all!

---------------------------

The Star Online

KUALA LUMPUR: The Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) has revoked the express and chartered bus licences of two companies whose buses were involved in two fatal accidents last month.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz said all 11 express bus licences of Syarikat Kuala Lumpur-Malacca Express Sdn Bhd, and all 99 chartered bus licences of Syarikat Taipan Suria (MM2H) Sdn Bhd have been revoked with immediate effect.

Syarikat Taipan Suria’s approval offer letter for chartered bus had also been revoked, he said.

“I strongly warn all commercial vehicle operators against being lackadaisical and irresponsible on the safety of public transport users and road users.

“I won’t hesitate to take strict action such as suspending and revoking licences of errant operators,” he told reporters at Parliament lobby.

Nazri said the action against Syarikat Kuala Lumpur-Malacca Express was taken following the accident in Negri Sembilan on Oct 10 which left 13 people dead.

He said the company had contravened the Motor Vehicle Rules (Commercial Transportation) 1959 and the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board Act 1987.

Some of the offences included failure to notify the CVLB on changes to the company’s operational address, failure to get CVLB approval on changes to the company’s equity and contravening licence conditions, including the management of company, and those of the vehicle, driver and journeys.

On Syarikat Taipan Suria, Nazri said the action taken on the company was in connection with the accident on Oct 29 on the Karak Highway, where seven people lost their lives.

Nazri said the company also admitted that the bus involved in the crash was operated by a third party.

CVLB director Datin Naimah Ramli said the companies have 30 days to submit their appeals.

Deputy Federal traffic chief ACP Mohd Puad Abd Latiff said the Syarikat Taipan Suria driver was under detention. “He fractured his leg, and we will wait for him to recover from the trauma before taking further action,” he said.

The Syarikat Kuala Lumpur-Malacca Express driver died in the crash.

Karak bus crash: Blacklisted driver had no licence for past 13 years

The Star Online

In Baling, families of the seven victims who were killed claimed that the ill-fated bus was not the one promised by the bus company and was not in good condition.

KUALA LUMPUR: The bus driver involved in Friday’s bus crash that killed seven passengers has held no driving licence for the past 13 years, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha.

In fact, he had held only a learner licence in 1997. After that, he was blacklisted, Kong told Sin Chew Daily on Saturday.

“What makes me angry is that the bus operator had employed a driver without a licence.

“This driver must be charged in court and his employer must take full responsibility,” he said, adding that the ministry had constantly advised public transport companies to ensure all drivers had valid licences, were in good health and a clean driving record.

Kong also ordered the Road Transport Department to investigate the track records of the driver and the bus operator and work with other related authorities to take them to court.

On Friday night the bus skidded and overturned at KM38 Genting Sempah killing seven and injuring 39 others

Selangor Public Order and Traffic Chief Supt Che Husin Omar said Saturday the Road Transport Department (JPJ) had confirmed that the driver did not have a valid driving licence, Bernama reported earlier.

"The driver had initially admitted to police that he had a driving licence but when JPJ conducted a search, it was found that he did not have one," he told Bernama when contacted here Saturday.

Che Husin said the driver, who suffered a broken right leg and was currently receiving treatment at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, was detained for further investigations.

"He will be investigated under Section 41 of the Road Transport Act 1987, for reckless driving and causing death," he said.

Che Husin said police would be inspecting the black box and also investigating whether the driver had any past record for traffic offences or driving without a licence.

The ill-fated bus, with 44 youths aged between 14 and 25 from several villages in Baling, Kedah, was on an educational trip and had left Kedah at 11pm Thursday and arrived in Genting Highlands at 8am Friday.

At 7pm Friday, the group left Genting Highlands for Kampung Melayu Subang to participate in a homestay programme but was involved in the accident.

During the accident, seven people were killed, 17 seriously injured while 22 others escaped with minor injuries, including the two bus drivers.

Meanwhile, in Baling, families of the seven victims who were killed claimed that the ill-fated bus was not the one promised by the bus company.

Family members, when met in Kampung Baru, Mukim Siong were disappointed with the bus company for failing to keep their promise of providing a bus that was in good condition.

Mustaffa Ibrahim, 60, said the family accepted the destiny of his child, Mohd Fahmi, 17, because it was fated but expressed disappointment after realising that the bus company had provided a bus that was not in good condition.

"They were promised a bus that was good but we only realised that it was not the bus that the company provided for the tour," he said when met in his house here Saturday.

Those who were killed were Mohd Zaidi Mohd Sufian, 28, a religious teacher, Mohammad Amirul Mohamat Isa, 13, Mohamad Khairy Mohamad Marzali, 14, Mohamad Yussof Akhil, 16, Mohamed Firdaus Rosedi, 16, Mohd Fahmi Mustaffa, 17, and Mohd Ridzuan Husin, 17.

Mustaffa, an Imam in a local mosque, said all seven who died were related to each other and urged the authorities to enforce strict measures to ensure such incidents do not recur.

Husin Hamid, 54, the father of Mohd Ridzuan who was also killed, said those responsible for the accident must be dealt with by the authorities.

Meanwhile, Baling Umno division secretary Abdullah Sani Mahmud said the Youth and Sports department would handle matters related to bringing the bodies of the death to Baling.

Seven killed in bus crash

The Star Online

KUALA LUMPUR: Seven people were killed and 39 others injured in a bus accident at Genting Sempah.

The accident, which happened at 7.50pm last night, involved a group from the 4B Youth Movement, Kampung Siong, Kedah, said Selangor traffic chief Supt Che Hussein Omar.

“Seventeen were seriously injured while the remaining 22 suffered minor injuries,” he said.

“Two people were thrown out from the bus.”

He added police were investigating the driver for reckless driving.

The group of 44 had chartered an express bus from Baling for the trip.

It is learnt that the bus driver lost control of the vehicle before it hit the road divider and overturned several times at KM38 of Jalan Genting Sempah, some 300m from the Karak Highway.

At press time, the dead were identified as Muhammad Amirul Mohamad, 13, Muhamad Khairy Muhammad, 16, Mohd Firdaus Rosedi, 16, Mohamad Yussuf Akhif, 16, Mohd Ridzuan Husin, 17 and Mohd Fahmi Mustafa, 17.

The co-ordinator of the trip, Ustaz Mohd Zaidi Mohd Sufian, 28, died on the way to Selayang Hospital.

The driver and co-driver escaped with injuries.

The group was on its way to Kuala Lumpur from Genting Highlands where they had spent the night.

The dead were sent to the Sungai Buloh Hospital.

The injured were brought to the Bentong, Kuala Lumpur (HKL) and Selayang hospitals.

The co-driver said he was asleep when the crash happened.

“When I got up, the bus was rolling,” he added.

Expressing our horror is not good enough

WE have said it before. And we will say it again. For Malaysians to continue with their lackadaisical attitude towards matters of life and death on our roads is to continue to let more people die in vain.

On the evening of Oct 10, a tragic accident occurred on the North-South Expressway at Simpang Ampat near the Negri Sembilan-Malacca border involving an express bus heading north and five other vehicles coming from the opposite direction.

These are the 12 lives lost, eight of whom are under the age of 25, of which five will never celebrate their 21st birthday.

Remember these names: Muhammad Farizuddin Talib, 19; Azizi Ajis, 20; Norazmi Abdul Karim, 24; Sharene Sofia Fadzry Tan, 18; Nur Shapika Baba, 19; Ng Sok Kuan, 52; Pang Shi Moei, 57; Goo Chuan Heng, 34; and the three from Myanmar, Kam Khaw Tuai, 19, Pau Khan Tual, 21, and Cin Thawn Tuang, 21 and R. Ramachandra, 52. Let us not treat them as mere statistics but as real people with families and friends. And let not the tears of their loved ones be for nothing.

The blame game is being played, and there is a familiar refrain to all the comments made so far. So what are we to do? Let us bear in mind that a skeptical public will not be easily convinced because there is a strong negative perception of how serious we are in addressing this issue.

When initial eye-witness accounts claimed the express bus driver was speeding, the immediate response was: “Did the driver have a record? Was he on drugs? Had he been at the wheel for more than eight hours that day?”

That these questions are even being asked reveals that we are all too familiar with the scenario whereby after an accident, we learn to our horror that the driver had a string of summonses to his name and was not fit to even drive his own car, let alone be entrusted with ferrying so many people from one destination to another.

But in this case, the driver apparently had a clean record. And so the cynic in us asks: “Well, it’s just that he had never been caught before!”

To be fair, let us not be drawn into a debate that is premised more on the emotion of the day rather than what the hard facts will reveal after a proper investigation.

But still, we must pose some serious questions for all parties to address and to take remedial action.

To the bus operators: Are your vehicles in tip-top condition? Are all your drivers in good health and mentally prepared to take the long journeys? Are you paying fair wages and offering good working conditions? Do you limit the number of trips your driver can make per day and the number of days he can drive consecutively?

To the enforcement authorities, in particular, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and Puspakom: Are you checking that all safety requirements are adhered to? Are you ensuring that all the drivers are certified fit to drive and have undergone the necessary tests? Have all the operators undergone the Safety, Health and Environmental Management (SHE) course?

To the licensing authority, the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board: Are you checking on the records of the operators before renewing their operating permits? Do you ensure that the drivers do not have criminal records or traffic summonses?

To the highway operators: Are there safety issues with regard to the highways you manage? Must killer stretches remain or are there ways to make them safe? What are the conditions of the guardrails that divide the two directions of traffic? What is the quality of your maintenance and upgrading work?

To the lawmakers: Make it mandatory for speed-limiting devices and passenger seat belts to be installed on all express buses. Limit the number of hours a driver can be at the wheel, and for journeys exceeding, say four hours, make it mandatory for a second driver to be on board. Set a minimum wage for the drivers and ensure reasonable working conditions.

Increase the penalties, not only on the drivers, but also on the operators. The onus must be on the operators to maintain a reliable fleet of buses and drivers.

All accidents and infringements must be faithfully tabulated and the operator be stopped from operating when the number of points reaches a certain level. Businesses understand the bottom line so we must have the political will to hit them where it hurts the most.

Read the names again and tell yourself that if the necessary steps are not taken, your loved ones may one day be on such a list.

12 killed in horror crash near NS-Malacca border

Why am I not surprised?

History repeats itself again and again due to inaction on the part of the Transport Ministry/Government. What happened to the Land Transport Commission and the string ideas, regulations and proposals to regulate express buses since the last horror crash?

-----------------------------------------

SEREMBAN: Twelve people were killed when a north-bound express bus crashed through the guardrail and ploughed into five vehicles heading in the opposition direction at KM223.2 of the North South Expressway near Simpang Ampat here.

Forty-five others were also injured in the 7.45pm accident, which occured near the Negri Sembilan-Malacca border here yesterday.

Witnesses said the express bus crashed into the rear of a car before the driver lost control of his vehicle and rammed through the guardrail and onto the path of an oncoming bus, two cars and a motorcycle.

The impact caused the express bus to flip onto its side. The bus driver and motorcyclist were among the casualties. The oncoming bus belonged to the Welfare Department.

Apparently, out of the 45 injured, four have been rushed to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment, 22 were sent to a hospital in Seremban and 12 to another hospital in Malacca.

The express bus had left Malacca about 45 minutes before the accident and was on its way to Kuala Lumpur.

The accident caused a traffic jam stretching for more than 25km along the expressway.

Of the 12 who died, eight were believed to be passengers from the express bus.

One of them was decapitated.

Two others were from a MyVi, which was crushed by the bus, and another from a Honda Accord.

PLUS officials had to divert motorists at the Pedas/Linggi toll plaza as the south bound lanes were impassable to traffic.

A Plus traffic control centre spokesman said the accident occurred at about 6km from the Simpang Ampat toll near Alor Gajah, Malacca.

“The middle and left lanes for the south-bound traffic were blocked by the vehicles involved in the accident while the right lane for the north-bound traffic was closed to facilitate emergency works at the scene,” he added.

Sources said that the department’s bus was carrying delegates for a gathering of former servicemen, which was attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil earlier in the day.

“None of them in this bus was injured,” said Malaysia Ex-Servicemen’s Asso­ciation Datuk Muhammad Abdul Ghani.

Quick Clicks

Browse through buscrashnomore.blogspot.com easily with these links:


Notices

How You Can Help Offline
Memorial
A Map To Mahindrama's Temple
The Memorial - 3rd February 2008
Malaysians, Do NOT Get Us In Trouble With Your Comments

Letters and Opinions In The Media

Taking a Gamble
A Timely Wake-up Call
Who Says Corruption Does Not Kill?
Better Bus Travel For All
Bus Tragedy Was No Accident
How Many More, How Long More Should We Wait?
Letters To The Editor Of The Star (regarding Slim River Bus Crash)


Letters From Inspiring Individuals

Haris Ibrahim's (the man behind the "Save The Judiciary" petition) Email
This Email Makes Sense
Student Writes Letter To The Prime Minister

Newspaper Clippings Regarding Past Bus Crashes

20 Dead In Malaysian Bus Crash
Bukit Gantang Bus Crash: Victim No.22 Succumbs
Bukit Gantang Crash Aftermath
Chan: Refresher Courses A Must
Errant Bus Operators and Drivers Targeted
Five agencies in blitz over errant buses
CVLB backs jail move
JPJ To Conduct Checks At Bus Terminals
CVLB cards for express bus drivers
Foundation Cites JPJ officers for alleged negligence
Past Bus Tragedies
Bukit Gantang Carnage : Kang Choy Pointing Finger Of Blame At Everybody Except Himself
Cops: No warrant of arrest for 'fatal crash' bus driver


Newspaper Clippings of The Slim River Bus Crash

Two die, three injured in bus crash
Dua maut, 9 parah bas terbalik
Bus crash: Driver had 13 outstanding summonses
Seorang lagi penumpang bas ekspres meninggal
Pesan Beli Kain Kafan
Family Mourns Loss Of Beautiful, Intelligent Go-getter
Penumpang nampak pemandu bas main sms
Nian Ning's Memorial (Sin Chew Daily, Guang Ming, Nanyang)
Online petition for Nian Ning
Spotlight: Website receives 10,000 signatures


Blogroll

In Loving Memory of Lee Nian Ning (1987-2008)


Others

Pictures That Will Be Remembered

In Loving Memory of Lee Nian Ning (1987-2008)

Family mourns loss of beautiful, intelligent go-getter


If you have a blog and you happen to blog about this tragic accident or about any of the three victims who lost their lives, kindly leave your permalinks in the comment box so that we can add your link to the list.


BLOGROLL

5x Mom - Do Something, Get Involved
Aaron Peng - An Accident Waiting to Happen? Or just Pure Negligence?
Abigail - In Loving Memory
Ada Foo - =(
Alexlim - Bus Crash No More!!!
Alpha Lim - Can You Make A Difference?
Alyson - Bus Crash No More
Amelia - Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy
Amelia Tay - Bus Crash No More
An Acquired Taste - If Somebody Cared
An Extraordinary Life - In Loving Memory of Nian Ning (1987-2008)
Angelicassie - you only live once
Angie Lim - Petitions and Sorrow
Antraxxxx - Help Nian Ning's Family. Banish The Devils Off The Road
Aronil - Just Me - Lee Nian Ning
Az1 - Hell Bus
Baking Music - Life's Journey Is Like Baking Bread
Bangsa Malaysia - Bus Crash No More
Beatrice Chin - What’s with all the Bus Crashes?!!?
Bongholio - Lee Nian Ning, RIP. Daughter, Doctor to be, PSD Scholar and Blogger (1987-2008)
Casper - An Unforeseen Death
Charmaine Tung - Oh-So-Sudden
Chen Chow - In Memory of Lee Nian Ning (1987-2008)
Chin - People Would Stop To Hold Their Heads
Cheryl - RIP Nian Ning
Chrys - Irresponsible Bus Drivers - Harbingers of Doom
Cuxinn - Lee Nian Ning
David Cheong - Chinese New Year is not what it used to be...
Davids Lim - In Memory of Lee Nian Ning
Deaf-Knee - Opposite Of Life Is Not Death
Desmond Tan - Not The Driver's Fault?
Desmond Tan - Tribute to Nianz
Desmond Tan - It's Amazing....It's Getting Attention
Desmond Tan- Solemn
Diane Cheah - Be Heard
Doggy Thoughts - RIP Nian Ning
Dr. Saravanan R. - Bus Crash No More
E-Jian - Rest In Peace
Eddie Lim - Sign Petition Now
Enter My Paradise - Rest In Peace Lee Nian Ning
Exotique Toxin - It Goes On
Elyn - sob stories?
Eve - Let's Do Ourselves A Favour
Eyeris - Random Links To Stuff I Wanna Blog About But Have No Time To
fabs - sad...sad...
Fiona Lee - a twist of fate..
Flower Monster - I Have A Blog
Footiam - Caring Moments
Genova - Bus Crash No More
Gloria Fong - R.I.P. Nian Ning
harassarah - RIP
Haris Ibrahim of The People's Parliment - Bus Crash No More (An Online Petition)
Him Vingie - Two Die Three Injured In Bus Accident
Huei - Buses Kills
Hui Ling - Bus Crash No More
Isaac's Blog - A Moment of Silence
Isaac's Blog - Please Give A Lending Hand To Spread This News
James Ooi @ The J Blog - Bus Crashes - When Is It Going To End?
James Ooi @ The J Blog - Check On Metro Bus Drivers Too
Jamie - A Tragic Accident On Slim River
Jase Lee - Bad Bus Drivers
Jason Lim- You Will Be Remembered
Jason Lim- Malaysians Mudah Lupa
Jason Lim- The Petition Is Up - Make A Difference
Jason Mumbles - Help Nian Ning's Family, Fight With Them
Jason Tan - Lee Nian Ning's Memorial Service
Jamie Lim's Site - Please Do Something
Jed Chuan - Life Lost
Jeff Ooi - Can You Make a Difference, MoT?
Jen - Bus Crash No More
Jennihsurf.net - Life is Precious. Please Love Each Other
Jing Ju - My Heart Aches Everytime I Hear
Jolene Lai - Help Nian Ning's Family, Fight With Them
Jolene Lai - RIP : I Never Knew Her But I Can Just Imagine
Jolene Lai - The Petittion Is Up
Jon Cheah - Petition For A Safer Long Distance Bus
Joo Sing - In loving memory of Lee Nian Ning (1987-2008)
Jun Lin - One way Ticket
Jun Lin - Memorial Service, Post-event report/thoughts
Jun Qi - Wednesday, January 30 2008
Jymystique - Young Lives Taken Becoz of Reckless Bus Drivers Taken each Year, Again and Again!!
Kanki - Life Is Full of Unpredictables
Kah Yin - Deeply Miss~Nianz
Kavita - The Bus Crash
Kellster - Monday, January 28, 2008
Kennysia - Blog Plug
Kevin Goh - May You Rest In Peace to the beloved Lee Nian Ning
Khngyi - One Voice
Khiahsu - Bus Crash No More
Kinkybluefairy - Excerpt
Klang Community Space - Kimmy Sia - Bus Crash No More
Kylie - Petition Up
Kyspeaks - Are You Travelling By Long Haul Bus This CNY?
Life is One Big Party When You're Still Young - Nian
Lingzie - We Can Make A Difference!
Loving Life - Sooky - Reckless Bus Drivers Taking Lives
Malaysian Medical Resources - Palmdoc - Death of A Medical Student
May Leng - In Loving Memory of Lee Nian Ning (1987-2008)
Melllzzz - Tragedy
Milin - [Petition] Bus Crash No More
Mingming - RIP
Mr. Berng - Brand New Year, Same Old Luck
Mushie Moshiu - The Lost of Nian Ning
My Name is Adelyn - Followup On Nian Ning
My World, My Life - If You Care, A Message
Nickypm - Yet another tragedy
Noc - Pls support them~!!!
Noir Illusions - Bus Crash
Norman Ng - When Do We Stop Running Away...?
Orange - Buses....
Orang Cina - Naik Bas
Pablopabla - Lee Nian Ning's Case. Some thoughts...
Pamela Tan - pam: debelief
Patchay - Now You Can Make A Difference
Patrick Gun - Help Nian Ning's Family, Fight With Them
Paul - Lost For Words
Pei Wen - A Message
Personal Bubble - Chiew - A Real Loss
Pingy Ping - Lee Nian Ning's Tragedy
Pinkpau - These Things In Point Form
Psychobabble by Xinch - Remember Nian Ning
Puckishkel - RIP: Lee Nian Ning 1987-2008
Pyroboy1911 - Paying Last Respects...
Rindiggfelt - Rest in peace, my dear friend.
Ryan - Let's Put A Full Stop
Sai Mun - Bus Crash No More...
Sara Khoo (i hope you don't mind me putting this, Sara. Sara is the gf of Chung Lern's brother, Chung Wei. I cried again while reading her post) - Of loss and grief- Ning
Sesshy - In Memories Of Nian Ning
Shin - Bus Crash No More - Chinese Blog
Shiroyuu - It Never Rains But Pours
Shu-Fenn - May You Rest In Peace, Nian Ning...
Siciliano888 - Lee Nian Ning
SilverIsle - Two Old Old Eggs
Simontalks - Don't Play Games With Our Lives
SK Chua - Petition for our rights for safer roads and travel
SlowcatchupKuan - Online Petition: Safe Bus Ride
Stephen - Online Petition for Nian Ning
Su Lin - Affected
Sue Hsia - Life is so short.
Sue Me If You Can - Show Some Support
Susan Chan - A Tragic Accident
Suet Li - Sad Post
Syen, Neoh - My Space (kindly get permission to view this link)
Tan Shirlyn - Loss
Tan Yee Hou - I Am Not Happy
Tan Yee Wei - RIP: Can consumers make economics work in their favour?
Teefernee. - life, is just so fragile
Terence Lee - Bloggers, Time to be useful
The Cave - > : (
The Heart of the Matter - RIP Lee Nian Ning
The Journey of Life Through My Eyes - Cruelty of Life
The Ultimate Ulat King - For Better Future, Better Nation [Part 1]
Think It Out - Deathtraps on the Road
U~N - Another scary bus crash
Vanity is not a sin, darling - Adelene - It Goes On
Wei Kang - In Loving Memory~
Whatablog - No Title
White Tissues - Keili - An Accident Waiting To Happen
WilliamT - Support Petition
Wingz - When You Purchase A Bus Ticket to go back to your hometown...what do you expect?
Winnie Chua - Back In KL, Safe and Sound
Withtintin - Life is NOT and NEVER fair
WYP-paige- Make a Difference - Sign the Petition
Thomas - Bus Crash No More!!
Yee Lin - Rest in peace
Yeo Seak Yeong - Bus Crash No More
Yi Chin - In Loving Memory of Nian Ning
Yiktsay - There Ain't Justice
Yinanayi - Please Make A Difference
yonglong89 - A small favour from fellow bloggers
Yothemans.com - Life Is A Precious Thing
You Know You Love Me - Nian Ning
Youngyew - An Untimely Demise
You're Somekinda Something - Ling - Scary Buses
Yuin Yin - For the One We Love
Yun Ying - Bus Crash No More
Zemian - I Saw the Shadow of Death Again
ZThon - Let's Join Them
Zzzyun - D.e.a.t.h.
Zzzyun - Memories from a Memorial


Please be sensitive when you leave your blog links. We appreciate thoughts about the issue but we do not appreciate it if you are sending us a link of something you copied entirely without adding anything of your own. Thank you.

This list is compiled so that the the victims' families(as you can see, mostly Nian Ning's family) would like to see a whole compilation of warm messages. So do continue to share your thoughts, not something copied. :)


Updated by Jason as of 12th February 2008, 2351hrs, +8 GMT

Please keep it coming!

Petition To Have Safer Bus Rides For Long Distance Routes

*This post is a sticky. Scroll down for more latest postings.

We, the concerned youths of Malaysia express appalled anger towards the Slim River Bus Crash incident that claimed the life of Lee Nian Ning, Mohd. Zailani and Pang Boon Eng on the 25^th of January 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.

What are the explanations?

Hundreds of thousands of university students just like Nian Ning and us rely on such public transport to travel back home. A human life should not be taken lightly.

How could a vehicle with 13 summonses be free on the roads and not be held by the authorities?

We, the following, hereby demand that the relevant authorities set up a committee consisting of road safety experts and representatives from relevant public bodies to conduct a thorough study to find effective solutions to ensure that mistakes like this do not occur again in the future.

We will not be quiet until we see it in the media that satisfactory measures have been taken.

To sign the petition,

please click here

and submit your FULL NAME(as in IC. Please don't use your nicknames or initials.) and e-mail. It will be considered one e-signature upon completion.

Alternatively, you may contact any of our representatives near you. (note their contact details at the sidebar)

Please do not leave initials or nicknames, only full name is accepted.

We thank you for your co-operation. Let us pray for those who have died to make way for change and keep our fingers crossed that someone, anyone will hear us and enforce that change.


Please put this in forums, bulletins, emails, blogs.....everywhere. We need all the support we can get. This is for you as well.

Seven injured after express bus rammed into guardrail

KULAIJAYA: An express bus driver lost control of the vehicle and rammed into the guardrail along the North-South highway, leaving seven passengers with minor injuries and another with suspected broken ribs.

The Kuala Lumpur-bound StarMart Express bus, which left the Larkin Terminal at about 2.30am, got into the accident along KM32 of the highway northbound, just before the Kulai rest area, at about 3.30am with 14 passengers on board.

It is believed that the bus driver, in his 30s had dozed off before losing control of the vehicle.

Kulaijaya OCPD Supt Zulkefly Yahya said seven passengers, including a woman, aged between 20 and 40 years, received outpatient treatment at Kulai Hospital while a man, in his 40s, was warded as he might have broken his ribs.

"The other remaining passengers were unhurt during the incident.

"The bus's left side was badly damaged," he said when contacted here on Saturday.

Supt Zulkefly said that police had taken the statement from the bus driver

"The bus was supposed to leave the terminal at 12.30am but left two hours later due to some delay.

"We are also investigating whether the bus's engine was damaged," he said.

He added that the bus had been brought to Air Bemban police station for further inspection.

He urged anyone with information to contact the police hotline at 07-2212999 or the nearest police station.

Bills to improve public transport and safety tabled

KUALA LUMPUR (April 12, 2010): THE Land Public Transport Commission (LPTC) Bill 2010 and Land Public Transport Bill 2010 were both tabled for first reading by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz today.

Under the LPTC Bill, the minister may appoint a chairman, chief executive officer, not more than five government representatives and not more than five members who in the opinion of the minister have knowledge and experience and shown capacity and professionalism in land public transport to sit in the commission.

The Bill stipulates that the commission will advise the minister on all matters relating to land public transport in connection with the exercise of its functions under the land public transport laws.

Under the Land Public Transport Bill, the commission may make rules to provide for the safe carriage of passengers, their luggage and goods by land public transport.

Clause 13 of the Bill empowers the minister to prescribe an area congestion pricing charge to be paid by users of roads situated within any designated area.

The appropriate authorities specified under the Road Transport Act 1987 shall be authorised to demand and collect the proceeds of area congestion pricing charge.

After retaining an amounts as prescribed by the minister and being reimbursed its incidental expenses by the authority, the remaining portion of proceeds will be paid to the Land Public Transport Fund.

A person who fails to pay the charge, commits an offence and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding RM2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both.

Clause 27 of the Bill empowers the commission to revoke or suspend a land public transport operator's licence if the conditions of the licence has not been complied by the operator; if the issuance of licence was induced by a false representation; in the event of death, incapacity, bankruptcy of the operator, liquidation of the company; if the public service vehicle used is intended to be used for an unlawful purpose.

Clause 154 and 162 allows the commission to hold any inquiries and investigations respectively in response to a written request from a person or on its own initiative.

The commission is also required to publish a reports of its findings in respect of any public inquiry it conducts within 60 days from the conclusion of the inquiry.

As for the investigation, the commission shall prepare a report to the minister and it is up to the minister to decided whether the report should be published for national and public interest.

An appeal tribunal shall be established under clause 177 of the bill to review any decision or direction of the commission under the law.

The minister shall appoint a chairman and at least two members to sit in the tribunal.

Clause 247 of the Bill stipulates that a Land Public Transport Fund to be set up by the commission and the fund shall be expended for the improvement of the land public transport, its services in rural developments or other purposes related to the land public transport as determined by the minister.

Public Land Transport Commission will resolve fragmented jurisdiction woes

KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat says the Public Land Transport Commission (Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat)will help resolve the problem of fragmented jurisdiction governing matters of land transport.

On his blog, he said on Thursday, April 15 the commission will see a single point of accountability for policy planning and regulatory oversight.

"This is a step towards resolving the problem of fragmented jurisdiction governing matters of land transport that I have frequently highlighted since I assumed the role as Transport Minister," he said.

Before the commission was set up, he noted there were 13 government agencies and departments having authority on issues relating to land transport.

For instance on the issue of commercial buses, the issuance and revocation of licence to operate as well as powers to determine fares are under the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB), which is under the Prime Minister’s Department.

However, licences to operate tour buses is under the Tourism Ministry. The Road Transport Department (RTD) oversees various aspects of safety and enforcement. Ong said then there are the Department of Environment and local authorities as well.

"It was through the National Key Result Area on Urban Public Transport (NKRA UPT) of which I am the lead minister that we were able to bring the fragmented agencies to work together to improve urban public transport. It was also through NKRA UPT that the idea of SPAD was established," he said.

Ong said the commission does not affect the jurisdiction of the RTD, Road Safety Department and other agencies under the Transport Ministry of Transport.

He said, as the lead minister for NKRA UPT, he would continue to maintain oversight on matters pertaining to urban public transport and ensure close collaboration between his ministry and the commission.

Bus operators’ attitude on safety to be blamed for accidents

KUALA LUMPUR: Bus operators have been urged to adhere to the guidelines set by the Transport Ministry to ensure that drivers get adequate rest to prevent fatigue while driving.

Peninsular Malaysia Road Transport Officers Union president Hamzah Masri said the lackadaisical attitude of some bus operators on safety measures was to be blamed for fatal accidents.

He said the causes of bus accidents must be studied comprehensively, including on drivers fatigue and poor management.

The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) must study whether drivers abide by the rules imposed by employing safe driving practices, he said when commenting on an express bus tragedy in Ipoh South recently.

Ten passengers were killed and two injured after a doubledecker Sani Express bus skidded and hit a guard rail at Km272.8 of the NorthSouth Expressway as it was heading north, about 8km from the Ipoh South toll plaza on Dec 26.

"If bus drivers are in good health and drive in a comfortable condition and are not at the wheel continuously for long hours, fatal accidents could be averted," he said.

Hamzah said public transport operators must abide by the rules stipulated in the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 to prevent accidents. - Bernama

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