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Bus safety back in spotlight following Genting tragedy
Published:  Aug 22, 2013 8:54 AM
Updated: 3:12 AM

YOURSAY 'The bus companies continue to flout regulations, encouraging drivers to exceed the permitted number of hours behind the wheel.'

Bus plunges into Genting ravine, 37 killed

your say JustAMalaysian: My heartfelt condolences to the families of the holiday makers who perished in the unfortunate accident. May God bless the souls of the departed.

I pray for the fast recovery of those injured and I am sure the doctors and nurses at the hospitals will do their best in treating and taking care of them.

To the Fire and Rescue personnel, the police and volunteers who rendered help in the rescue operation, you have done a good job and we are proud of you. God bless you, too.

Swipenter: This is indeed a very sad day for our country. My condolences to the victims and their loved ones and many thanks to all those involved in the rescue operation.

Genting Bhd has done a good job in building and maintaining the road up to the hill resort but most of us silently know that our driving habits and even maintenance of public transport leave much to be desired.

Please don't be mistaken that I am blaming the bus driver and/or the condition of the bus until the actual cause(s) of the tragic accident is pinpointed. The photos at the scene show that the local weather conditions there were clear and dry and not wet and misty.

We must learn to drive according to road and traffic conditions and not as we like and be a considerate road user.

Ren Ai: Condolences to the injured and to the families of the bereaved, and heartfelt thanks to the rescuers, firemen, medical personnel and police.

There are lessons to be learnt - greater safety measures to be instituted and a review of all the measures that authorities have promised for disaster management and rescue from previous disasters.

Let us hear from these people rather than the politicians. Genting Resorts Management's silence is deafening and is perhaps a sign of their focus away from Genting itself.

It is gratifying to note that the Pahang sultan and the elected representatives were on the ground immediately.

Anonymous #78379017: I think the bus company has to explain why there were 53 passengers since a standard bus has a capacity of only 44 seats. This overload could be the cause of the accident.

Gen Half Track: The Genting management is responsible for this and many other such accidents on these roads. They make billions from gamblers and visitors to this hill resort, yet the roads remain dangerous at many points.

Yes, the drivers too are to be blamed but the Genting management can help by making safer roads.

CiViC: My total disappointment to those who condemned Genting. The roads to and from Genting are no different from other journey to and from any other destinations, be it Cameron Highlands, to the airport, or merely to and from work.

Genting spends millions on roads and foundations to ensure safety, and it's no surprise as the entire resort depends on it. Bear in mind nothing is ever "safe" enough. So please, before you comment and condemn, think first.

Lover Boy: Those who have been to Genting Highland cannot honestly say that the road going up there is poor. On the contrary, I think the roads have improved tremendously over the years.

Many vehicles use that road everyday. Look at the photographs, there is a fairly high barrier along the sides of the road.

Many who go up and down Genting would have encountered reckless drivers who think they are taking part in a rally, including reckless bus and coach drivers.

Don'tLeaveName: Genting Bhd should address this issue urgently as it will affect its business even though the bus company is not under its control.

Perhaps it should have its own buses going to Genting, so it has a hand on the ensuring the condition of the bus and keeping tabs on the driving hours of the drivers.

While on tour in Europe, my driver kept a log book and he would refuse to drive once the hours were up.

Anonymous_4115: Most of the Genting bus drivers drive very fast and very dangerously. I`ve have a couple of times called the bus company in Genting whenever I came across these dangerous drivers.

Many times, after my call, the buses would go slowly, but for only for a few kilometres they would start going fast again. Furthermore, the buses are all old.

Not Confused: The bus companies continue to flout regulations, encouraging drivers to exceed the permitted number of hours behind the wheel.

Bus maintenance is also a major factor in many of these accidents - the continued use of re-tread tires is also often a factor as all transport companies still use them extensively to cut costs.

Malaysia is truly a third world country when it comes to accidents like this, after which the ministers and bus company executives wring their hands and blame one another, then do nothing until the next accident.

What a sad indictment of poor governance and even worse, company management.

2zzzxxx: This accident will be making headlines in the newspapers, along with many sob stories but in a few days' time, it will all be forgotten and there will be the 'wait' for the next bus accident to grab the title of "the worst bus accident in the country's history."


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