2 days ago
Bus in fatal UPSI crash had no seat belts, says Loke
The bus had been travelling from Jerteh, Terengganu, to Tanjung Malim, Perak, when the accident took place. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA : The bus involved in the crash that killed 15 students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) on the East-West Highway yesterday was not fitted with passenger seat belts, transport minister Loke Siew Fook said.
He said the bus was manufactured in 2013, seven years before seat belt installation became mandatory for newly manufactured buses, Berita Harian reported.
'But in the incident that occurred on the East-West Highway, the bus was 12 years old and built in 2013, so there were no seat belts (for passengers),' he was quoted as saying after an event in George Town, Penang.
The minister also acknowledged concerns over road safety and urged all parties, including transport operators, to take responsibility.
'It's not that we don't have laws or regulations. Some say there are no laws, but we do have laws mandating both the installation and use of seat belts,' he said.
'The challenge is enforcement – how do we monitor compliance at all times? I understand that everyone is worried and concerned about road safety.'
Loke said the transport ministry is now studying proposals to make seatbelt use compulsory on all express buses, regardless of when they were built. The ministry is also looking at mandating speed limiters and dashboard cameras for heavy vehicles.
He added that safety-related policies often faced pushback for being either too strict or too lax. However, he insisted that any new rule must be backed by industry players and the public.
'When we implement something, it must be supported by all parties, including industry players and operators.
'Don't say it's burdensome or expensive when we introduce mandatory requirements,' he said.
