A spokesperson for Genting Highlands Transport Sdn Bhd, the company that owns the bus that plunged into a ravine yesterday, told reporters it is too early to speculate on the cause of the accident.
The spokesperson, who only wanted to give his name as ‘Mr Yip’, told reporters at the company’s office today that the company was fully cooperating with the government’s investigation into the accident.
Yip said, “It is too early to judge anyone, we hope that the public will not make too much speculation before the investigation report comes out.”
He declined to comment on the reason there were 53 people on board the bus when only 49 tickets had been sold, and also said that it was not right to claim the bus was overloaded.
“It was a town bus, not an express bus, it didn’t go from point A to B, it went A, B,C, D, so there are people getting on and off along the way. It is not right to say the bus was overloaded,” Yip added.
The bus was travelling downhill from Genting Highlands, on route to KL Sentral yesterday when it plunged 70 metres off the road about 2.45pm, killing 37 of the 53 passengers on board.
The spokesperson, who only wanted to give his name as ‘Mr Yip’, told reporters at the company’s office today that the company was fully cooperating with the government’s investigation into the accident.
Yip said, “It is too early to judge anyone, we hope that the public will not make too much speculation before the investigation report comes out.”He declined to comment on the reason there were 53 people on board the bus when only 49 tickets had been sold, and also said that it was not right to claim the bus was overloaded.
“It was a town bus, not an express bus, it didn’t go from point A to B, it went A, B,C, D, so there are people getting on and off along the way. It is not right to say the bus was overloaded,” Yip added.
The bus was travelling downhill from Genting Highlands, on route to KL Sentral yesterday when it plunged 70 metres off the road about 2.45pm, killing 37 of the 53 passengers on board.
'Driver new, but skilled'
Yip also said that the driver of the bus, Lim Kok Ho, had only been with the company for over two months but had previous experience, and that he was a skilled driver with a good attitude.
Yip said, “We take them for tests on the Genting route before we hire them. He was a good driver.”
Asked if the company would be paying compensation to the families of the deceased, Yip said that it would wait for the police report before making any decision.
Malaysiakini arrived at the company’s Segambut office at 12.30pm today and was told by a staff member at the reception that management personnel were out to lunch and would meet at 1.30pm.
A man who identified himself as the operations manager said what had happened was a tragedy and that he couldn’t sleep last night, adding that he wasn’t authorised to answer questions from journalists.
Behind the office were sheds and workshops where buses were being repaired. Of the buses painted the same yellow as the one in the accident, written on the side of one was the notice ‘45 passengers’, while that on another bus reads ‘45 passengers, 18 standing’.
Six men including a JPJ officer arrive
Around 1.30pm, six men arrived, one of whom had a tag saying he was an officer from the Road Transport Department (JPJ). The group started taking photos of the buses being repaired, before entering the office about 10 minutes later.
They emerged from the office around 45 minutes later and left with the operations manager to “go eat”, the JPJ officer said. He declined to answer questions.
At around 2.40pm, seven people arrived from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) and entered the office.
About 3pm, the reception staff told reporters that there was no management personnel who could comment. One of the reporters then suggested to the receptionist that it would look like the company was hiding something if no one commented.
Ten minutes later Mr Yip came out to talk to the reporters briefly.
Yip also said that the driver of the bus, Lim Kok Ho, had only been with the company for over two months but had previous experience, and that he was a skilled driver with a good attitude.
Yip said, “We take them for tests on the Genting route before we hire them. He was a good driver.”
Asked if the company would be paying compensation to the families of the deceased, Yip said that it would wait for the police report before making any decision.
Malaysiakini arrived at the company’s Segambut office at 12.30pm today and was told by a staff member at the reception that management personnel were out to lunch and would meet at 1.30pm.
A man who identified himself as the operations manager said what had happened was a tragedy and that he couldn’t sleep last night, adding that he wasn’t authorised to answer questions from journalists.
Behind the office were sheds and workshops where buses were being repaired. Of the buses painted the same yellow as the one in the accident, written on the side of one was the notice ‘45 passengers’, while that on another bus reads ‘45 passengers, 18 standing’.
Six men including a JPJ officer arrive
Around 1.30pm, six men arrived, one of whom had a tag saying he was an officer from the Road Transport Department (JPJ). The group started taking photos of the buses being repaired, before entering the office about 10 minutes later.
They emerged from the office around 45 minutes later and left with the operations manager to “go eat”, the JPJ officer said. He declined to answer questions.
At around 2.40pm, seven people arrived from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) and entered the office.
About 3pm, the reception staff told reporters that there was no management personnel who could comment. One of the reporters then suggested to the receptionist that it would look like the company was hiding something if no one commented.
Ten minutes later Mr Yip came out to talk to the reporters briefly.
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