- The Transport Ministry found that excessive speed on a downhill bend was the main cause of the bus crash that killed 15 UPSI students on June 9.
- A special task force report cited multiple systemic failures, including poor road design, lack of safety features, and weak enforcement, contributing to the tragedy.
- It recommended major reforms such as better road infrastructure, stricter licensing controls, and real-time vehicle monitoring to prevent similar incidents.
KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — The Ministry of Transport has today named “failure to control speed while navigating a downhill bend” as the primary cause for the fatal express bus accident that killed 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students last month.
The Preliminary Report of the Special Task Force on the incident, however, noted there were several other contributing factors that reveal “a systemic breakdown” that demands comprehensive reform by all parties involved in the public transport ecosystem.
“This incident was not solely the result of technical failure or driver error, but was also driven by operational shortcomings, inappropriate driver selection, insufficient safety protections, and ineffective monitoring and enforcement systems.
“The discovery of high traffic offence records among the drivers and the operator’s failure to conduct routine checks as required under ICOP–Safety reinforce evidence of organisational governance failure,” the report said, referring to the Industrial Code of Practice.
The 75-page report said the failure to control speed resulted in the bus losing control and overturning towards the left side of the road.
Other contributing causes and factors listed included the road’s physical design, absence of speed control and monitoring devices, unauthorised operating practices, absence of seat belts for passengers, and lack of proactive monitoring and poor inter-agency coordination.
Primary and contributing factors
The report said the driver’s failure to control speed while navigating a downhill bend caused the vehicle to overturn and collide with a W-beam guardrail that pierced the passenger cabin.
Investigations found the bus was travelling faster than the critical speed limit for that section of road, with trajectory analysis and movement reconstruction confirming the vehicle lost control before toppling leftward into the roadside barrier.
Although the driver claimed brake failure, no conclusive technical fault was found; preliminary checks only indicated possible brake overheating, likely due to excessive or improper use, pending final confirmation.
The crash’s severity was worsened by substandard road design, including the absence of physical dividers, clear centre lines, and effective warning signs, while the W-beam guardrail itself failed to meet safety standards.
The bus lacked essential safety features like seat belts and active speed monitoring systems, and its weak upper structure offered little protection during the crash, directly impacting survivability.
Unauthorised operational practices, such as illegal licence leasing and regulatory manipulation, pointed to systemic governance failures within the tour bus industry, exacerbated by minimal oversight and compliance enforcement.
Both drivers had extensive traffic offence records, and the operator failed to monitor or screen them as required under ICOP–Safety, reflecting serious lapses in risk management and human resource practices.
Enforcement efforts were hampered by fragmented inter-agency coordination, with inconsistent databases between transport authorities allowing non-compliant operators to evade detection and accountability.
Safety recommendations
To improve road safety, the report recommended upgrading road barrier designs to meet minimum TL-3 standards, enhancing visibility of road signage and markings, and installing Automated Awareness Safety System (AWAS) speed cameras at high-risk bends.
To curb licensing abuse, Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) was urged to tighten enforcement on illegal licence leasing, mandate permanent vehicle markings for operator verification, and issue clear guidelines to distinguish legal subcontracting from prohibited practices.
The report also encouraged Putrajaya to accelerate a real-time commercial vehicle monitoring system using GPS, geofencing, and data analytics, and to develop a centralised driver database accessible to enforcement and authorised operators.
Strategic governance reforms proposed include restoring APAD’s enforcement powers or re-establishing Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD), setting up an independent Malaysian Transport Safety Board, and promoting AI-driven tools for predictive monitoring and early intervention.
In an accompanying statement, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) said the report was tabled at the Cabinet meeting this morning and is being made public in the spirit of transparency and in the public interest.
It said the report was independently and objectively prepared by the Special Task Force led by the Chief Inspector of Air Accidents at the MOT, with input from technical experts and representatives of various related agencies.
The investigation focused on safety aspects and does not interfere with any ongoing criminal investigations by the authorities, it said.
The public can access the report here.
The June 9 crash, which occurred along the Gerik-Jeli East West Highway near Tasik Banding, involved a bus carrying UPSI students and a car.
A total of 48 individuals were involved in the incident, with 13 pronounced dead at the scene and two more succumbing to injuries in hospital, bringing the death toll to 15.
A group of UPSI students involved in the crash now plans to take legal action against the bus driver and the company operating the vehicle.
