72,000 public transport drivers have outstanding summonses

A total of 72,316 public transport drivers have not settle outstanding summonses issued under the Road Transport Act 1987 until Sept 19, the Dewan Rakyat was told.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said however, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has no record whether the drivers were still driving public vehicles.

It is the responsibility of public transport operators to ensure that their drivers have clean records and do not have outstanding summonses, he said when replying to a question from Datuk Seri Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan).

On the bus driver involved in the Genting Highlands bus crash on Aug 21 killing 37 people and injuring 16 others, he said Lim Kok Hoe had 16 outstanding summonses.

Abdul Aziz said the ministry had advised the JPJ to set up a special unit that could take immediate action against errant public transport drivers, including revoking their driving licence.