KUALA LUMPUR: The operator’s licence of Goldstar Express (M) Sdn Bhd and its entire fleet has been suspended with immediate effect.
This is to facilitate investigations into the Alisan Golden Coach express bus crash that caused the death of 14 people and injured 16 passengers at the 137th kilometre of the North-South Expressway at 3.45am yesterday.
The Land Public Transportation Commission (SPAD) said the suspension would stay until the completion of the investigation.
The probe is being led by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros).
SPAD gave the assurance that the commission would conduct a thorough investigation of the tragic incident.
“Safety of passengers is of utmost priority and all land public transport operators were required to uphold the highest of standards in operating their vehicles.
“SPAD will not tolerate any violation of safety practices,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Consumers Associations (Maconas) took SPAD to task for failing to implement the speed limiter in public transportation especially express buses.
Its secretary-general Datuk Amarjit Singh Gill questioned SPAD’s inaction since there had been talks on the matter.
“Enough is enough. Do we still want to see more carnage and loss of life due to our failures?
“After an incident, everyone goes back to their comfort zone and wait till the next incident to happen.
“If the speed limiters were installed in buses, the issue of over speeding would not have arisen as the bus would have been going at the designated speed,” said Amarjit.
He urged Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to ensure that speed limiters were placed in express buses.
Amarjit added that accidents involving express buses were becoming too frequent and most resulted in loss of innocent lives.
“There is no need to wait until 2020 to implement them as the ruling is already in place and should have been implemented.
“SPAD should also immediately revoke the permit of the bus company to send a strong signal to other bus operators that the Government will not tolerate their indifference to public safety.”
