Acting Transport Minister, Hishamuddin never expected having to deal with the worst bus crash in Malaysian history. He said, 'If I could, I would shut it down...'
http://www.cbt.com.my/2013/08/22/i-would-have-close-down-the-bus-company-operations-says-hishamuddin/
Agreed, if we are irrational, we might also close down an airline after a crash; banned cars for for being causes of fatal accidents; or even banned knives because they could be used to kill people.
It is time to have a full-time Transport Minister, not an acting one. Just because the portfolio is reserved for MCA until the party sorts out on how best to go back on its promise not to take up government posts, serious problems relating to the ministry are unlikely to be properly followed up. Even with full time transport minister before, the report of an Independent Inquiry Board is still being withheld for more than 2 years...
Return of the ghosts of Simpang Pulai
http://www.cbt.com.my/2013/08/25/return-of-the-ghosts-of-simpang-pulai/
I read the above and the following (on a different page) in New Sunday Times, but could not find the latter in CBT website ...
Shades of Simpang Pulai found on CBT page VIII:
CBT editor Yamin Yong had written in his editiorial three weeks after the 13th General Election:
A Commission of Inquiry set up by the government submitted its findings (on Simpang Pulai crash) seems to implicate officers of a privatised vehicle examination facility and the complicity of officials within the same Transport Ministry.
Is that why the crash report has not been released? Safety on buses is the new Transport Minister's job.
"We should bear in mind that the Commission of Inquiry into the deaths of 29 passengers in the tourist bus crash in Simpang Pulai in 2010 has already been submitted to the Cabinet..."
'At the end of 2010, three fatal bus crashes cast a shadow of grief over the nation:
Simpang Empat express bus crash in Malacca (Oct 10, 13 killed); Genting Sempah charter bus crash (Oct 29, 7 killed); Tour bus crash at the Km15 Jalan Cameron Highlands-Simpang Pulai (Dec 20, 28 killed).
Two days later, the authorities were under pressure from the public to scrutinise weaknesses in all possible sectors and to come out with suggestions and recommendations in four months.
Subsequently, the Cabinet set up an Independent Inquiry Board which leapt into action and submitted its findings within two months. The recommendations were submitted to and accepted by the Cabinet.'
'What were the recommendations made by the Independent Inquiry Board?
Were the findings of such a systematic failure in the government agencies, regulators and privatised inspection services that the report was withheld?
Would the recommendations by the board have been useful in reducing fatal crashes of express buses?
We are still numbed by the Genting crash of Wednesday. Do we have to wait for another tragedy and further loss of precious lives and go through, again, the motion of inaction by the authorities?'
Link
http://www.cbt.com.my/2013/08/22/i-would-have-close-down-the-bus-company-operations-says-hishamuddin/
Agreed, if we are irrational, we might also close down an airline after a crash; banned cars for for being causes of fatal accidents; or even banned knives because they could be used to kill people.
It is time to have a full-time Transport Minister, not an acting one. Just because the portfolio is reserved for MCA until the party sorts out on how best to go back on its promise not to take up government posts, serious problems relating to the ministry are unlikely to be properly followed up. Even with full time transport minister before, the report of an Independent Inquiry Board is still being withheld for more than 2 years...
Return of the ghosts of Simpang Pulai
http://www.cbt.com.my/2013/08/25/return-of-the-ghosts-of-simpang-pulai/
I read the above and the following (on a different page) in New Sunday Times, but could not find the latter in CBT website ...
Shades of Simpang Pulai found on CBT page VIII:
CBT editor Yamin Yong had written in his editiorial three weeks after the 13th General Election:
A Commission of Inquiry set up by the government submitted its findings (on Simpang Pulai crash) seems to implicate officers of a privatised vehicle examination facility and the complicity of officials within the same Transport Ministry.
Is that why the crash report has not been released? Safety on buses is the new Transport Minister's job.
"We should bear in mind that the Commission of Inquiry into the deaths of 29 passengers in the tourist bus crash in Simpang Pulai in 2010 has already been submitted to the Cabinet..."
'At the end of 2010, three fatal bus crashes cast a shadow of grief over the nation:
Simpang Empat express bus crash in Malacca (Oct 10, 13 killed); Genting Sempah charter bus crash (Oct 29, 7 killed); Tour bus crash at the Km15 Jalan Cameron Highlands-Simpang Pulai (Dec 20, 28 killed).
Two days later, the authorities were under pressure from the public to scrutinise weaknesses in all possible sectors and to come out with suggestions and recommendations in four months.
Subsequently, the Cabinet set up an Independent Inquiry Board which leapt into action and submitted its findings within two months. The recommendations were submitted to and accepted by the Cabinet.'
'What were the recommendations made by the Independent Inquiry Board?
Were the findings of such a systematic failure in the government agencies, regulators and privatised inspection services that the report was withheld?
Would the recommendations by the board have been useful in reducing fatal crashes of express buses?
We are still numbed by the Genting crash of Wednesday. Do we have to wait for another tragedy and further loss of precious lives and go through, again, the motion of inaction by the authorities?'
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