The recent express bus crash that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students has raised urgent questions about safety in Malaysia’s public transport sector.
According to logistics veteran Dr Mohammad Nizam Baharom, the tragedy is symptomatic of a pervasive “takde apa” mindset among operators that is putting lives at risk.
Nizam, former deputy president of the Chartered Institute of Logistics Malaysia and an industry player with over 20 years of experience, said that on top of the shortage of qualified drivers, the express bus sector is plagued by poor governance and minimal safety oversight.
“Most of the express bus owners rely on their management team, who run the daily operation of their businesses. To make it worse, none of them really care about safety issues as they need to recover their expenses to pay for the operation and their loan from banks,” he told theSun.
He highlighted that many express bus businesses are Bumiputera-owned and operate point-to-point routes with no stops.
“They have very little knowledge in terms of operation, safety and maintenance,” he said. As a result, safety is frequently sidelined in favour of profit and debt repayment.
He said the problem is not new, and the shortage of heavy vehicle drivers has been going on for years, with the Covid-19 pandemic making the situation worse.
“Low pay, long hours, poor benefits and a lack of professional recognition have made driving an unattractive career choice for younger Malaysians, discouraging new entrants to the field. Many drivers find the pay insufficient compared to the demands of the job, too,” said Nizam.
“In order to solve this problem, most of our bus drivers have more than one wife. To make it easier for them to get rest when they move from place to place. This is true!” he claimed.
With a rapidly ageing driver workforce and few replacements, bus operators are often forced to take shortcuts, including hiring drivers with poor records or even criminal backgrounds, he said.
Nizam, who is also the former president of the Selangor chapter of Malaysian Bumi Logistics Association, said this culture of compromise opens the door to tragic consequences like the UPSI crash. He called for immediate government intervention to introduce both short-term fixes and long-term reform.
In the near term, he suggested that bus operators be required to implement incentive packages such as improved wages and working conditions, with strict enforcement from authorities.
He also proposed a national apprenticeship scheme targeting school leavers, offering fast-tracked licensing pathways and vocational training.
“We can offer school leavers to join training programmes that guide them to comply with safety requirements,” he said.
Nizam said these training programmes should fall under the National Vocational framework, as a formal entry point into the profession.
Over the long term, the industry must focus on raising wages, regulating working hours and introducing public education campaigns to improve the reputation of the driving profession, he said.
To ensure compliance and accountability, he also urged the use of technology to monitor drivers in real-time.
“All buses should be fitted with CCTV and tracking systems. Utilising technology to monitor driver performance and ensure adherence to safety standards could help curb misconduct and enforce discipline,” he said.
Besides regulatory reform, Nizam said existing drivers should undergo mandatory retraining and stress management workshops. He also called for empowering passengers to report unsafe driver behaviour.
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