FROM JANUARY 2023 to May 2025, Malaysia documented a total of 203 bus-related accidents, with 39 fatalities, 68 serious injuries and 197 minor injuries.[1] Too many lives have been lost.
Responses in news articles and social media posts after such tragedies tend to do the following: Blame the bus companies. Blame the road conditions. Blame the drivers.
Where lie the faults?
At the moment, bus inspections are made every six months by Pusat Pemeriksaan Kenderaan Berkomputer (PUSPAKOM). Additionally, checks are conducted on brakes and headlights before a trip. GPS tracking systems have also been installed for the surveillance of buses on highways. Yet, life-threatening bus accidents still persist. Following the fatal crash in June 2025 of a bus chartered by UPSI students, Transport Minister Anthony Loke introduced a law requiring buses and other heavy vehicles to have speed limiting devices (SLDs) to ensure they travel at no more than 90km/h.[2]
