PSV licences only suspended if serious offence confirmed, says Transport Minister
Anthony Loke said that this approach is designed to ensure road user safety while upholding the driver's right to a fair and comprehensive investigation.
'A PSV licence won't be immediately suspended just because a driver was involved in an accident.
'A full investigation will be carried out first. If the driver is found to have committed a serious offence, such as reckless driving, only then will their PSV licence be suspended,' he told reporters after the East Coast Rail Link's (ECRL) Genting Tunnel breakthrough ceremony here on Saturday (July 12).
Loke added that, previously, disciplinary action could only be taken after a court verdict — a process that could take years.
He said that during the period, drivers who posed potential risk were still allowed on the roads.
'We can't allow a driver involved in a serious accident to continue operating a bus for three or four years just because the case is pending in court.
'That would endanger passengers' lives. This is why we're using existing Road Transport Department (JPJ) powers to act earlier, though still based on proper investigations,' he added.
Loke acknowledged differing views from drivers' associations and bus companies, but stressed that passenger safety must always take precedence.
'Public sentiment calls for stricter and faster action against reckless drivers, and that's what we're prioritising,' said Loke, adding that bus operators would also face consequences if found neglecting safety procedures or failing to adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Previously, it was reported that the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) had slammed the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry for requiring tour companies to submit a report within 24 hours of any accident, or risk having their business licence cancelled.
MATTA president Nigel Wong said the move was an 'extreme' measure introduced without consulting industry players.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: Kejara overhaul
THE word "Kejara" in the Kejara Demerit System is an abbreviation of "Sistem Kekompetenan Jalan Raya", or the Road Safety Competency System. First implemented in 1987, Kejara is prescribed to traffic offenders: the more points accumulated through traffic violations, the closer they are to a suspension or revocation of their driving licence. For instance, the highest 15 demerit points are slapped on motorists who drive while intoxicated or high on drugs, those who refuse to provide breath, blood or urine samples as ordered, those who drive dangerously or inconsiderately and those who race illegally. If a motorist knocks down a person or is caught speeding, it's 10 points, so is failure to display vehicle identification at an easily-accessible place. It's eight points if motorists drive carelessly or fail to move aside for emergency services like ambulance, firefighters, police as well as Customs or Road Transport Department vehicles with their sirens on. It's five points if you drive with wornout tyres, enter a no-entry street or overtake at a double line. All in all, these are examples of the typical bad behaviour of Malaysian drivers. If drivers accumulate 15 or more points, they are issued a show-cause notice that must be responded to within 14 days. Further accumulation will lead to driving licence suspension of between six and 12 months, but a third offence will incur a driving licence ban for five years. After almost 40 years of enforcement, Kejara is a failure, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke. The RTD is finalising the proposed changes, but they realise that they have to rectify a major flaw first. The RTD has to circumvent a loophole where points are deducted only after compounds are paid or offenders charged in court, not when the summons was first issued. This allowed drivers to delay or avoid penalties by not paying fines. The overhauled Kejara could correct this dysfunction: demerit points being imposed regardless of whether a summons is paid to enforce effective and prompt penalties. However, arising legal complexities and the intervention of the Attorney-General's Chambers have delayed implementation. This remains true: Kejara's weaknesses are linked to poor driving and high road accidents, especially after it was temporarily discontinued in the past. It doesn't have to be. Similar systems in European Union nations recorded more seatbelt use, reduction in road fatalities and risky driving behaviour. China and the United Arab Emirates saw fewer traffic light offences, while Kuwait recorded a 15 per cent reduction in traffic injuries. Canada registered more cautious driving, while the United States showed improved compliance and less repeat offences. Demerit points lead to fewer crashes and fatalities with sustained enforcement, but only if redesigned as an immediate, integrated and smart system that punishes offences in real time. Add enforcement with education, transparency and community participation and Kejara could return from a failed system to a tool of accident prevention and road discipline.
![[UPDATED] Gerik UPSI crash: Tour bus was travelling at almost twice the speed limit](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2FUPSIcrash-180725_NSTfield_image_socialmedia.var_1752823876.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] Gerik UPSI crash: Tour bus was travelling at almost twice the speed limit
KUALA LUMPUR: The tour bus involved in the fatal crash in Gerik that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students last month was estimated to have been travelling at 117kph, nearly twice the posted speed limit. According to a preliminary report released today by the Transport Ministry, the speed limit for this route is 60kph. The report stated that dashcam footage and physical evidence at the scene showed the bus skidded before overturning, indicating that the vehicle was moving at a speed that exceeded the critical limit for skidding and likely surpassed the critical speed for overturning as well. "The bus's minimum speed at the time of the incident is estimated to have exceeded 111.3kph, which is the minimum speed at which an overturn could occur given the road's curvature. "From the visual analysis, the estimated average speed of the bus during the incident was 117.6kph. "Margin of error (due to video resolution limitations): ±16.8kph. Therefore, the actual speed range is estimated to be between 111.3kph and 134.4kph," the report said. The report also revealed that a section of the guardrail had penetrated the bus body, causing injuries and fatalities among the passengers. Meanwhile, investigations revealed that seat belts were only installed at the driver's seat, with none provided for the passenger seats or the second driver's seat. "The vehicle was fitted with 44 passenger seats, one second driver's seat, and one main driver's seat. However, one of the seats was dislodged from its original position, although six seats on the left side, as well as the second driver's seat, sustained damage due to the impact of the crash," it said. It added that a visual inspection found the physical components of the steering system to be in good condition. However, the report said the functionality of the steering system could not be tested as the vehicle was not in a suitable condition for dynamic testing. It said the impact had caused several W-beam rails to penetrate the body of the bus, causing severe damage to the bus roof structure and pillars, and severely injuring passengers. "The impact also caused the bus roof to come off and several passengers were thrown out. The collision with the barrier also caused the bus to spin counter-clockwise as it fell to the left," the report said. On June 9, a tour bus carrying 42 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris students from Jerteh, Terengganu, to Tanjung Malim, Perak, was involved in a collision with a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) along the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding, Gerik. Fifteen students were killed in the crash. On June 11, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said all permits held by the tour bus company involved in the fatal crash had been revoked with immediate effect following multiple breaches of permit conditions.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
MOT: Tour bus in Gerik crash operated illegally using another firm's permit
KUALA LUMPUR: The tour bus involved in the fatal crash in Gerik was found to have been operating illegally under a permit registered to another company unrelated to the incident. According to a preliminary report released by the Transport Ministry today, the bus was operated by Noreen Maju Trading, which did not hold a valid licence or permit under the Land Public Transport Act 2010. The report revealed that the permit belonged to Kenari Utara Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, the legitimate licence holder. However, documents and witness statements showed the permit had been unlawfully used by a third party through an unauthorised leasing or transfer arrangement—an offence under Section 49(1) of the Act. The breach was confirmed by enforcement action from the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad), which found that Noreen Maju Trading had conducted operations outside the legal framework. Separately, the report highlighted further irregularities involving Nuratiqah Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, a company with no direct link to the bus. An exemption application for a tour bus driver was submitted by the company, but investigations found the name provided did not match the person behind the wheel on the day of the incident. Preliminary checks confirmed that the driver named in the permit held a valid Competent Driving Licence (CDL) and Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence. However, the report did not state what the exemption was for. It said the application was approved via the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry's (Motac) online system without verifying the submitted details or the applicant's link to the operation, resulting in regulatory approval for an unauthorised operation. The report added that the actual driver did not possess a valid CDL or PSV licence, which it says is worrying. "This failure reflects weaknesses in the operator's driver selection, verification, and deployment system, and also indicates a potential systemic breach of licensing conditions and reporting requirements to the regulatory authorities." The report concluded that such practices reflected serious compliance failures and undermined governance integrity within the tourism public transport sector. On June 9, a tour bus carrying 42 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students from Jerteh, Terengganu, to Tanjung Malim, Perak, collided with a Perodua Alza MPV along the East-West Highway (JRTB) near Tasik Banding, Gerik. Fifteen students were killed in the crash. Transport Minister Anthony Loke later announced on June 11 that all permits held by the tour bus operator involved in the crash were
