PETALING JAYA: There should be broader reforms with regard to road safety involving the public transport sector, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
The Alliance For A Safe Community chairman said this can be done following the recent setting up of the special task force to probe the untimely death of a youth on an bus.
"The setting up of the special task force signals a commitment to ensuring safety and accountability in public transportation.
"This also allows for a thorough examination of current practices and the development of safety protocols that can prevent such tragedies in the future.
"This initiative could serve as a catalyst for broader regulatory reforms across the industry, ensuring that not only buses but all modes of public transportation adhere to strict safety standards," he said in a statement on Tuesday. (Nov 5)
He was commenting on the recent the announcement by Transport Minister Anthony Loke on Sunday (Nov 3) on the the setting up of a special task force to probe the death of the youth on the bus.
The task force, comprising personnel for the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad), Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros), have been given two weeks to complete their investigation.
On Saturday (Nov 2), an 18-year-old youth was found unresponsive in his seat on the express bus at Penang Sentral at around 6pm.
The incident was said to have happened after the victim suffered electrocution while was charging his cellphone on the bus.
According to police investigations, it was learned that the victim had boarded the express bus to KL Sentral.
A post-mortem conducted at Hospital Seberang Jaya revealed no other injuries and found no evidence of foul play.
Meanwhile, Lee also said that the incident is a wake up call for members of the public not to purchase uncertified mobile phone accessories.
"This incident also highlights another issue that of cheap mobile accessories that are being sold in gadget shops or online stores and which are not certified safe by Sirim or other authorities," he added.
He also expressed surprise that charging ports in buses, do not come under the checklist of Puspakom.
He said it was the agency's responsibility to ensure that all vehicles are safe and roadworthy, among other regulations.
"How can Puspakom ensure that vehicles are safe without checking on every aspect of its operation including devices and gadgets in them?
"If a gadget within a vehicle is unsafe, the vehicle is unsafe," he said.
On the task force, he said that there should also be engagement with stakeholder, including feedback from passengers, drivers and transportation companies, to ensure that a collaborative approach to safety is taken.
"It is equally important to ensure that these measures translate into timely changes," he added.
