Gerik: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) is opening an investigation paper (IP) to take legal action against the operator of the bus involved in the crash on the Gerik-Jeli East-West Highway (JRTB) last Monday, which claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students. Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said legal action could be taken against the bus company concerned for failing to operate according to the stipulated rules and regulations.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the bus company failed to comply with the mandatory components of the JPJ Inspection and Safety Audit (JISA). He said among the seven mandatory components of JISA include the need for a safety supervisor in the company and the installation of GPS to monitor vehicle speed. "The GPS was not activated. Also, the maximum eight-hour driving limit must be adhered to by the driver, but this was not monitored by the company.

Loke further elaborated on the requirements, stating, "Another is the requirement for a 30-minute break after every four hours of driving for the driver, GPS installed in all vehicles, having an emergency action plan and the company hotline...all of these components failed to be complied with."

Earlier, Acting Gerik police chief DSP Muhammad Firdaus Abdullah noted that the owner of the bus company was at the Gerik District Police Headquarters (IPD) at 10.30 pm yesterday to give his statement.