The bus involved in the fatal electrocution of a teenager had wiring that did not meet safety standards, Loke says

Transport Minister Anthony Loke has revealed faulty electrical wiring did not meet safety standards as the cause of fatal electrocution of an 18-year-old passenger on an express bus in Penang earlier this month.

As reported by The starLoke said a special task force set up to investigate the incident found several critical deficiencies in the vehicle’s wiring and equipment. It was discovered that the wiring from the distribution box to the socket had been installed in reverse and that the electrical equipment used in the bus did not meet the required safety standards.

In addition, an unlicensed person was responsible for carrying out the wiring installation, which is against Energy Commission (EC) guidelines. “Although the structural components of the bus met the approved engineering plans and passed a Puspakom inspection on May 20, the electrical wiring issues required immediate attention,” Loke said.

“As a first measure, the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) sent a show-cause letter to the operator, Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung (M) Sdn Bhd, on November 4. “On November 5, the Road Transport Department (JPJ), accompanied by the EC and the Fire and Rescue Department, inspected the bus in Butterworth, Penang,” he added.

Further inspections were carried out on November 6 at the manufacturer’s premises in Beranang, Selangor, by representatives from EC, JPJ, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM). APAD also identified another bus from the same operator with similar electrical wiring issues, which has since been granted a temporary suspension of operations pending further investigation.

“In response to the findings, APAD issued a directive on November 6 requiring all bus operators to immediately stop using three-prong sockets on their buses. The suspension will remain in effect until new policies and wiring guidelines are issued by the Ministry of Transport,” Loke said.

“In the future, APAD will require both new and existing bus operators to submit certified inspection reports or certificates for additional electrical wiring installations carried out by accredited bodies recognized by the Department of Standards Malaysia,” he continued.

In an effort to prevent similar incidents in the future, the Ministry of Transportation will implement stricter enforcement of safety standards for electrical wiring and related equipment in public transportation vehicles, complemented by strengthened monitoring and stricter compliance measures. “The government takes passenger safety very seriously and will ensure that strict measures are taken to prevent such incidents from recurring,” Loke said.

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