PETALING JAYA: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry will work hand in hand with the Transport Ministry to improve tour bus safety in the country, following an accident in Taiping, Perak, involving Japanese tourists last month.
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said it is vital that the issue be addressed if the nation were to promote Malaysia tourism further and to prevent setbacks to the gradually recovering industry.
"While the regulation of tour buses does not fall within my ministry's jurisdiction, repeated traffic accidents involving tourist buses have had a negative impact on our tourism sector," he said in a Facebook post Friday (Nov 15).
He said among the victims in the tragedy, which resulted in one fatality and injuries to 11 other Japanese tourists, were participants in a tour package jointly offered by Nankai Electric Railway Co Ltd and JTB Corporation.
Both have since temporarily put two tour packages to Malaysia on hold.
"It is vital to address these issues, especially as Nankai Electric Railway plans to promote Malaysian tourism on its trains during the #2025OsakaExpo and along the routes leading to Tokyo’s Narita and Haneda International Airports for the 2026 Malaysia Tourism Year campaign," Tiong said.
He also disclosed that he recently met with Naoto Ashibe, the representative director of Nankai Electric Railway Co Ltd to convey his apologies and extend his condolences to the families of the affected tourists.
"I assured him that we would forward the police investigation report... and, if necessary, instruct Tourism Malaysia to assist with any related claims," he said.
Tiong added that they both managed to exchange views on enhancing bus travel safety.
Among the proposed measures include mandating two drivers for journeys above eight hours, a mandatory alcohol and drug test for drivers before starting the journey and implementing video monitoring of drivers on long journeys.
On Oct 24, thirteen people, including Japanese tourists, were injured when a tour bus crashed into the rear of trailer in an incident at KM230.3 of the North-South Expressway (PLUS) heading south near Taiping.
