MALAYSIANS put a lot of trust in express bus drivers every time they board a long-distance coach, often dozing off for hours while someone else handles the wheel.
That trust took a serious knock when a video went viral showing a bus driver allegedly operating his vehicle with a woman sitting on his lap.
Did an express bus driver really drive with a woman on his lap?
Verdict:
TRUE
An express bus driver was identified after a video went viral showing him operating his vehicle with a woman sitting on his lap, prompting immediate action from authorities.
The viral footage showed the woman sitting on the driver's lap and holding the steering wheel while the bus was in motion, with the bus believed to have been travelling from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Kuala Lumpur to Kulai, Johor at the time of the incident, based on information shared on Facebook.
The driver and the bus company were both identified shortly after the footage began circulating on social media.
Senior JPJ Enforcement Director Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan said the driver had been called in to have his statement recorded on Monday (April 13) morning, and that the investigation paper would be referred to the JPJ director-general for further instructions once the investigation was complete.
He also urged members of the public with information related to the incident to come forward and contact their nearest JPJ office.
Kifli took the opportunity to remind all road users, particularly commercial vehicle operators, to always comply with traffic laws and give their full attention to driving.
"Drivers are reminded to focus fully while driving and not do things that could invite road accidents," he said.
He also called on bus company owners to ensure that the drivers they hire are competent, have no traffic offences on record, and to install closed-circuit television cameras inside buses to monitor driver behaviour and passenger conduct.
"This is important to ensure the safety of all road users and to avoid incidents that could endanger lives," he said.
It was later reported that the bus driver was also sacked from his job.
Source:
