Why the delay in setting up MTSB, Liow asked

A DAP lawmaker today demanded Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai to answer why the Malaysian Transportation Safety Board (MTSB) has yet to be established.

Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming raised the question following three major derailments in the past three months which disrupted Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) services.

The proposal of setting up MTSB, first brought to the cabinet in 2014, was reportedly being finalised in December 2016, he said in a statement.

If MTSB had been established this year, it could have been tasked with investigating the recent derailments and other incidents, Ong (photo) added.

He was referring to the cargo train derailment at Jalan Kuching on Aug 21 and a snap of electrical cable between Rawang and Kuang KTM stations on Sept 23 that caused track closure for two days.

Yesterday, a 12-coach cargo train derailed between the Bank Negara and Kuala Lumpur KTM Komuter stations.

"Liow has been conspicuously silent throughout all three major disruptions involving KTM services. May I remind the minister that KTM is still under the purview of his ministry and that he should take responsibility for these disruptions.

"I also want to remind the minister that we are still waiting for the establishment of MTSB, a statutory body which is supposed to carry out independent investigations of accidents for all modes of transport including rail accidents," said Ong.

MTSB was mooted after the 2013 Genting Highlands bus crash where 37 people were killed.

Ong said until today, there is no sign that the legislation to establish MTSB will be tabled in this parliamentary session, which ends on Nov 30.

"If this statutory body had been established this year, it could have been tasked with investigating these recent derailment accidents.

"But because of the ineptitude of the minister, we are left pointing fingers and none of us being any wiser as to the cause of these accidents and how to prevent them in the future," he added.

Ong said the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad) must lead the investigation into the latest derailments, instead of leaving it solely to KTM.

"Spad itself must lead the investigation and make public the findings in the interest of transparency," Ong said.- Mkini