BENTONG – The company of the tour bus involved in a crash which claimed two lives at Jalan Genting Highlands two months ago was charged at the magistrates’ court here today with two counts of allowing a driver to drive the bus without a licence and using a bus with an expired permit.
The company, M. Kumar Trans Tour Sdn Bhd, represented by its director, M. Kumar, 50, pleaded not guilty to both charges after they were read out before magistrate Nuur Fakhizaa Abu Bakar.
For the first charge, the company was alleged to have allowed the driver, S. Anand Kumar, 32, to drive the bus without licence and in a reckless manner to the extent of causing the death of two passengers in the crash at KM16.5 Jalan Genting Highlands here at 10.20am on June 29.
The company was also charged with operating a tour bus whose permit lapsed on February 16.
The charges, framed under Sections 41(1)(b)(ii) and (iii) of the Land Public Transport Act 2010, carry a maximum fine of RM500,000 or jail term of two years, or both, if convicted.
The court set September 27 for remention.
On July 3, Anand Kumar pleaded not guilty to charges of driving with no valid licence and in a dangerous manner, causing the death of two Chinese tourists, Zhang Ping, 58, and Wang Suhong, 49.
Nineteen other passengers were rescued after the bus veered off, crashed into a road divider and overturned en route to the capital city.
Bentong district police chief Zaiham Mohd Kahar reportedly said the 32-year-old bus driver did not own a driving licence besides having 27 past traffic summonses involving various offences.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke reportedly instructed the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) to take the sternest action against the tour bus company involved due to the clear non-compliance with the law, which has tarnished the country’s image by involving the deaths of foreign tourists.
On July 9, the Apad Licence Cancellation and Suspension Committee made a decision to revoke the operator’s licence belonging to the tour bus company. – August 19, 2024