KUALA LUMPUR — Police and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) will conduct further investigations into the trailer involved in the three-vehicle accident that killed seven people on Dec 23 on the North-South Expressway near Ayer Keroh, Melaka, as the vehicle was new.
Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) CEO Mahmood Razak Bahman, who revealed this today, also said a missing tyre from the trailer had prevented the agency from getting a fuller picture on the cause of the fatal accident.
“Our investigation is not complete because we cannot find the tyre, it has gone missing,” Mahmood told a press conference today, adding that he was puzzled as to why the tyre could not be traced.
The tyre disconnected from the trailer’s right side due to a problem with an axle, which Mahmood said had a “bearing” problem according to experts who checked the vehicle after the accident.
This was also puzzling, he said, as the trailer was made in 2023, passed inspection by Puspakom in March last year, and was registered in April the same year.
“So it is a new vehicle, not a used one. Its next scheduled inspection was to be in March this year.
“We have raised to the authorities that this is a new vehicle and that perhaps there is something that should be investigated further,” Mahmood said, adding the Miros and the police are now taking up the case.
Puspakom today submitted its report on the fatal crash to Miros. The accident, which involved the trailer, a tour bus and a Toyota Estima MPV, killed three men, three women and a baby girl who were all the passengers and driver of the MPV, and one passenger and driver of the tour bus.
Mahmood said the Dec 23 accident had sparked the ongoing investigation by the Road Transport Department (RTD) into Puspakom, with RTD conducting spot checks and questioning officers in the last few days.
Spot checks began on Dec 30 at 43 Puspakom branches, and continued the following day. As of today, four Puspakom officers have been questioned by RTD, Mahmood said.
RTD’s spot checks on Puspakom branches go beyond the Dec 23 accident and are looking at how approvals were given for faulty vehicles that came in for inspection.
Earlier today, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the ministry is collaborating with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to address integrity issues in Puspakom, including allegations of a syndicate accepting bribes to ensure faulty vehicles “pass” inspections.
Mahmood today said Puspakom will take internal action if there is evidence of corruption, and this included sacking officers.
“We cannot accept profiteering at the expense of human lives, this is unacceptable,” he said, adding that people should use whistleblower channels if they have information that officers are taking bribes to pass vehicle inspections.
Mahmood said that around 8% or 220,000 of the 2.8 million heavy vehicles that are inspected each year, fail the checks, mainly for brake problems, followed by tyre issues.
Commercial vehicles that fail Puspakom checks won’t receive the disk to display on their vehicles that authorise them to travel on public roads, and must fix the faults before returning to Puspakom for another inspection.
However, Puspakom does not have the power to seize vehicles that fail inspections, Mahmood said, as RTD does not give it that authority.
Puspakom will also no longer be the sole motor vehicle inspection authority, a monopoly it has held for 30 years, after the government agreed not to extend its concession after August 31 last year.
Loke earlier today said that more than 10 companies had applied for licenses to provide motor vehicle inspection services.”
“New companies have applied, and we are processing the applications. Licences will be issued soon, and I will announce the new operators.
“However, these new operators will need time to establish their facilities. By the end of this year, we expect new operators to enter the market. Their presence will create competition and provide consumers with more options when choosing a vehicle inspection centre,” Loke said. – January 2, 2025