Express bus mishap: Detailed technical investigation will be conducted

A detailed technical investigation will be conducted to identify the cause of a mishap involving an express bus which killed 14 people in Johor, early this morning.

Road Transport Department (RTD) director-general Datuk Seri Nadzri Siron said the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) would head the investigation team which would also include RTD officers.

"Currently, the police are investigating (the mishap) while the investigating team will conduct a technical investigation to determine offences and the weaknesses of the bus.

"Let us wait for the detailed report. The RTD will send its officers to look at in terms of documentation, driving licence and others," he told reporters after a One Community One RTD programme here today.

"We wait for a full report from the police (first) but Miros will send its investigation team and the agency is professional in its approach..it knows how to find the technical reasons for an accident," he said.

In the accident at 3.30 am, 14 people were killed while 16 were injured when the northbound bus plunged into a 10-metre ravine at Km137.l3 of the North-South Expressway (northbound) near the Pagoh Rest and Service Area.

Of the 16 hurt, six were Singapore nationals and two Myanmar nationals.

Meanwhile, in another development, Nadzri said motorists would be compounded the maximum RM300 for flouting traffic laws under 'Op Jalan', in conjunction with the Christmas and New Year celebration, starting today until Dec 26 and from Dec 30 to Jan 2, 2017.

Meanwhile, in KUALA LUMPUR, Deputy Transport Minister, Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi had directed RTD to conduct a close inspection of the express bus and the health level of its driver.

In his Twitter jottings today, he said RTD had also been told to work with the traffic police and PLUS to investigate the cause of the mishap involving the Alisan Golden Coach bus which was heading to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore. -- BERNAMA