Why do so few Malaysians believe the minister and the appropriate licensing body that severe penalties will be imposed on buses and drivers to prevent serious crashes involving school coaches, tour buses, trailers and lorries?
The latest tour bus crash in Genting at the end of last month was not the first, nor will it be the last, where the driver did not possess a valid driving licence and had scores of previous summonses.
As expected, transport minister Loke Siew Fook has announced a “major crackdown.” Does he know that for previous fatal crashes, the then ministers had also ordered similar “major crackdowns” with the result that Malaysians hardly believe them anymore.
Some of the drivers responsible for earlier fatal crashes tested positive for drugs and were convicted for traffic accident offences.
Many guilty drivers also claimed that they fell asleep at the wheel because they were fatigued or did not have ample rest between jobs. Are these problems being addressed?
In all these cases we were assured by the transport minister that the appropriate government department and agency will roll out various programmes to ensure drivers are qualified, companies are aware of the importance of road safety and other necessary precautions will be taken to make driving on Malaysian roads a safe experience.
Often, after a serious crash, there will be a frenzy of activity with opportunistic photo calls of ministers visiting the injured in hospitals.
Malaysians know that all this is just a facade, whereby the minister or MP tries to convince the electorate that he is doing his job, or is concerned about the welfare of the victims. However, Malaysians are neither daft nor blind.
For a few months after a major accident, the officials involved will be carrying out various checks and initiatives to convince the public that all will be well.
Soon after, all enthusiasm to provide for a safe driving experience fizzles out and we return to the often unsafe driving habits of Malaysian drivers.
We are subjected to the “drip-drip” release of new regulations after a serious accident, but then, when another major fatal accident occurs, we will also discover that previous recommendations were never fully implemented. Why not?
So why are the heads of the various transport agencies not performing their duties and being irresponsible? The heads and the owners of the transport companies act as if they are not aware that they and every road user must adhere to the code of practice for safety, health and environment.
Where is the forward thinking, the initiation of safety programmes and the provision for open dialogue between employer, employee and transport agencies?
Where is the strict enforcement by the road transport department and the police? Are the authorities more focused on pandering to the wishes of the transport companies than they are on making our roads safe?
We are keen to punish the bus or lorry drivers, but we fail to punish the company directors for their dereliction of duty. Vehicle drivers who do not own a valid driving licence make us wonder how they managed to secure a job as drivers for the company? Did the human resource or personnel department not check the driver’s records and licence? Or was corruption involved?
In the past, the transport agencies would try and increase our confidence by claiming that drastic action will be taken to curb the instances of fatal bus crashes and make safety training and defensive driving courses compulsory for bus operators. We wonder if these initiatives were ever carried out.
Often, driver-related safety and health matters, such as aspects of his working environment which could contribute to crashes have been overlooked. Why is the driver fatigued? Some claimed that they did not have enough rest because they needed to hold down three or four jobs, or perform several shifts to earn a decent wage.
In a number of accidents, the vehicles were not road worthy and had dodgy brakes or vehicle and engine parts which were not properly maintained. Companies often take short cuts because they do not want to spend money on essential repairs and maintenance.
If the authorities are serious about restoring public confidence in road travel, they must change their work culture and focus on processes, relationship, management and leadership. They must also make company directors responsible for ensuring their firms take road safety seriously. These directors cannot just focus on making a profit.
Sadly, anyone boarding an express bus in Malaysia will do so with a feeling of trepidation. Some wonder if they will reach their destination safely, if at all. - FMT
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
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