KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Railway Department has launched an inquiry following the recent runaway train incident along the Tenom–Pangi route.
In a statement, the department said a board for the inquiry was established in accordance with existing investigation procedures.
A police report has also been lodged as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident, it said, while expressing regret over the matter.
The department confirmed that no casualties were reported in the incident on Tuesday (March 3).
Sabah Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said he had received a preliminary report from the department, which was submitted to the Chief Minister’s office on Thursday.
“I will present the findings of this report at the state Cabinet meeting next Wednesday,” he said in a statement.
Dozens of teachers were among the passengers travelling to schools along the route when the incident occurred.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has since promised to replace six motorcycles that had been placed on the railway track and inadvertently helped prevent a more serious disaster.
Parti Warisan Likas assemblyman Tham Yun Fook also raised concerns over what he described as the long-standing neglect of rural and interior infrastructure in Sabah, urging the state government to act before tragedy strikes.
Meanwhile, State Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said the incident underscored the need to expedite the Tenom–Pangi road project, which was approved in early 2025.
Initial findings indicate the incident may have been caused by a brake malfunction on the train.
