MOTAC Engages MOT To Enhance Tour Bus Safety Measures

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) is set to engage the Ministry of Transport (MOT). Together, both aim to enhance tour bus safety measures following the tragic incident involving a tourist bus on the North-South Expressway late last month resulting in one fatality.

This was announced by MOTAC Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, during the Tourism Resilience Summit in Sendai, Japan when he met up with representatives from Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd. and COLOR’S Inc.

Tiong also conveyed its condolences to the victims and their families, with assurances that the police investigation report would be forwarded to the relevant parties, including Nankai Electric Railway, JTB Corp., and the Japanese Embassy in Malaysia.

In the meeting MOTAC had proposed several measures to enhance bus travel safety and prevent similar tragedies which includes:

• Mandating two drivers for journeys exceeding eight hours.
• Requiring alcohol and drug testing for drivers before commencing trips.
• Installing video monitoring systems for drivers on long-haul routes.
• Imposing stricter limits on driving hours.
• Enforcing the use of seatbelts for passengers.
• Reducing the height of tour buses to improve stability.

While bus safety regulations fall outside MOTAC’s jurisdiction, repeated incidents involving tour buses have negatively impacted Malaysia’s tourism sector. For instance, Nankai Electric Railway and JTB have temporarily suspended tour packages as a direct consequence of the recent accident.

Additionally, Nankai Electric Railway also had plans to promote Malaysian tourism during the upcoming 2025 Osaka Expo and along train routes leading to Tokyo’s Narita and Haneda Airports for the 2026 Malaysia Tourism Year campaign.

Tiong further noted that “With the tourism sector gradually recovering, it is imperative to address these challenges to prevent further setbacks.” He also pledged to collaborate with MOT to discuss and implement necessary safety measures for the well-being of tourists and the reputation of Malaysia as a premier travel destination.