KUALA LUMPUR (ANN/THE STAR) – The Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) has imposed a temporary ban on the use of electrical sockets in express buses amid an investigation into the alleged electrocution of an 18-year-old passenger, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
“Currently, all buses have been restricted from using these sockets temporarily. We want to determine the cause of the electrocution incident,” Loke stated during Ministerial Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (November 7).
A special task force has been formed to look into the matter, with a 14-day deadline to deliver a report on the incident’s cause. The Energy Commission has also been engaged to provide technical advice.
“Once the task force finalizes its report, we are prepared to collaborate with the Energy Commission if the ministry needs to update SOPs or reconsider the use of sockets on buses,” Loke added.
The minister was responding to a supplementary query from Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan (Perikatan-Merbok) on whether the ministry would involve the Energy Commission and APAD to ensure the safety of electrical sockets and lighting on buses before approval is granted.
In response to a question by Yusuf Abd Wahab (Tanjung Manis-GPS) about the safety standards for charging ports on aircraft, Loke confirmed that both airlines and ETS trains are required to comply with stringent installation standards.
He emphasised that the ministry is set to review and update SOPs to incorporate safety checks for sockets on buses.
The incident in question took place on November 2, when an 18-year-old was found unresponsive on an express bus at Penang Sentral around 6pm. Witnesses reported hearing the victim scream before he showed signs of distress, including frothing at the mouth.
Initial police investigations, based on witness accounts, indicated that the victim had boarded the bus heading to KL Sentral. A post-mortem conducted at Hospital Seberang Jaya ruled out foul play and found no other injuries.
On November 3, Loke announced the formation of a special task force to probe the incident. The task force includes members from APAD, the Road Transport Department (JPJ), and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS).
