That surely must be the question asked by many as details slowly came to light in the wake of the express bus tragedy in Taiping which took 19 lives, one of the worst Malaysian road accidents ever. I myself am asking:
~ How did the bus driver manage to get away with 13 summonses totaling RM1,980? Doesn't the JPJ or police check when the summonses were issued? I thought just last year there was a highly publicized campaign wherein those who did not pay outstanding summonses would be arrested. I still remember seeing photos of people who were arrested and promptly paid up. It is said that TWO arrest warrants were issued for the driver. But he was still a free man the day he drove dangerously and killed 18 others along with him.
~ Why wasn't the bus driver's license revoked for his numerous offences? It was reported in the Star that he had been driving dangerously for over six years, broken nearly every law - speeding (in five different vehicles), obstructing traffic, driving without a seat belt, not producing a driving license, driving a bus without a permit - and racked up enough demerit points to suspend his license. How did he manage to renew his license? Surely it would have been easy to detect this in the JPJ / police system and revoke his license. But no action was taken. Why? Because the demerit point system has more holes in it than Swiss cheese, allowing you can get away scot free by: a) not paying your summonses and thus reducing the opportunity of seizing your license; and b) you can CHOOSE not to surrender your license after it has been suspended or cancelled. Then what is the demerit point system for? For show?
~ Why did the bus company hire him and keep him employed? Evidently the profit of the company is more valuable than lives, even the Transport Workers Union agrees in this article here. I am sure no action was taken against the driver for his summonses because he was still driving around for the company. This is pure neglience on the company's part. Are they now to be held accountable for the consequence of letting the driver loose on the road?
~ Did the driver think he was Superman? A survivor of the accident said that the driver was speeding, which by all conclusions, caused the fatal crash because the bus in question had faulty brakes (it failed Puspakom inspection FOUR times!). It has been repeated numerous time in tv adverts - speed kills. Evidently this message is not getting through to the Malaysian public.
~ Why did the bus company allow the vehicle to be used when it was evidently not roadworthy? Again, I'm thinking of profit over practicality. And the bus had 19 police summons with 79 JPJ summons to boot. It should be off the road!
I agree with this opinion article that said the blood of those killed in the accident is on the hands of the JPJ and the police. Had they done just a bit more to take the bus driver off the road (and the bus as well as the bus company), these victims would still be alive today.
As usual, after any incident or tragedy that occurs, all the politicians and officials will be pointing the finger at each other and refusing to take the blame that is rightly (or wrongly!) appropriated to them. I don't want to hear the blame game, I just want to know what is being done to make Malaysia a safer place for all of us.
~ How did the bus driver manage to get away with 13 summonses totaling RM1,980? Doesn't the JPJ or police check when the summonses were issued? I thought just last year there was a highly publicized campaign wherein those who did not pay outstanding summonses would be arrested. I still remember seeing photos of people who were arrested and promptly paid up. It is said that TWO arrest warrants were issued for the driver. But he was still a free man the day he drove dangerously and killed 18 others along with him.
~ Why wasn't the bus driver's license revoked for his numerous offences? It was reported in the Star that he had been driving dangerously for over six years, broken nearly every law - speeding (in five different vehicles), obstructing traffic, driving without a seat belt, not producing a driving license, driving a bus without a permit - and racked up enough demerit points to suspend his license. How did he manage to renew his license? Surely it would have been easy to detect this in the JPJ / police system and revoke his license. But no action was taken. Why? Because the demerit point system has more holes in it than Swiss cheese, allowing you can get away scot free by: a) not paying your summonses and thus reducing the opportunity of seizing your license; and b) you can CHOOSE not to surrender your license after it has been suspended or cancelled. Then what is the demerit point system for? For show?
~ Why did the bus company hire him and keep him employed? Evidently the profit of the company is more valuable than lives, even the Transport Workers Union agrees in this article here. I am sure no action was taken against the driver for his summonses because he was still driving around for the company. This is pure neglience on the company's part. Are they now to be held accountable for the consequence of letting the driver loose on the road?
~ Did the driver think he was Superman? A survivor of the accident said that the driver was speeding, which by all conclusions, caused the fatal crash because the bus in question had faulty brakes (it failed Puspakom inspection FOUR times!). It has been repeated numerous time in tv adverts - speed kills. Evidently this message is not getting through to the Malaysian public.
~ Why did the bus company allow the vehicle to be used when it was evidently not roadworthy? Again, I'm thinking of profit over practicality. And the bus had 19 police summons with 79 JPJ summons to boot. It should be off the road!
I agree with this opinion article that said the blood of those killed in the accident is on the hands of the JPJ and the police. Had they done just a bit more to take the bus driver off the road (and the bus as well as the bus company), these victims would still be alive today.
As usual, after any incident or tragedy that occurs, all the politicians and officials will be pointing the finger at each other and refusing to take the blame that is rightly (or wrongly!) appropriated to them. I don't want to hear the blame game, I just want to know what is being done to make Malaysia a safer place for all of us.
4 comments:
i am trying to tell myself not to blog about this... all hell might get lose...
zewt: Awww... no? I am sure you have tons to say on the subject though. *grin*
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