Tour Bus Accidents In Malaysia Now Put Matta On High Alert, Prompting Urgent New Safety Reviews To Protect The Tourists And Restore Their Confidence In Its Domestic Travel

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has shown awesome siren pursuing a drawstring of caller Malaysian circuit autobus accidents, which person generated statement regarding imaginable regulatory changes to impact nan operations of nan onshore carrier assemblage arsenic good arsenic nan Tourism Industry Act 1992 successful Malaysia.

New Bus Incidents Spark Safety Fears

In June 2025, a tragic mishap occurred on nan East-West Highway adjacent Gerik, Perak, involving a chartered backstage acquisition tours autobus carrying 42 students of nan Sultan Idris Education University. The incident tragically took nan lives of 15 group and injured 33 others. The autobus driver had superior charges against him, 15 charges of vulnerable driving arsenic good arsenic a azygous count of reckless driving, of which he pleaded not guilty.

In a consequent incident successful July, different sedate mishap transpired adjacent Ayer Hitam, Johor, erstwhile a circuit autobus collided pinch a motortruck and a tanker lorry. This collision resulted successful 2 fatalities among Indonesian passengers, 16 injuries, including nan driver, and 28 passengers who fortunately remained unharmed. Both cases are nether ongoing investigation.

Proposed Amendments and MATTA’s Concerns

Following these incidents, nan Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) projected stricter regulatory oversight measures, specified arsenic mandatory 24-hour incident reporting for circuit vehicles. MATTA, while supportive of initiatives that heighten accountability and safety, has raised applicable concerns regarding nan implementation and feasibility of specified stringent measures.

MATTA has urgently requested explanation from nan Road Transport Department (JPJ) concerning nan grade of its argumentation of suspending drivers successful nan lawsuit of accidents. The relation wants to cognize if nan argumentation applies only to fatal accidents aliases if it besides applies to each sorts of accidents, moreover insignificant fender benders.

Industry Impacts and Operating Realities

MATTA President Nigel Wong pointed retired nan intricacies of nan business of recreation agencies, astir of which person important recreation operations beyond carrier services. Wong advised against utmost measures for illustration nan stripping of tourism licenses of recreation agencies arsenic a consequence of accidents which tin impact third-party drivers aliases carrier providers. Such utmost measures, Wong contends, tin unduly punish recreation agencies and consequence nonaccomplishment of larger operations not straight related to carrier concerns.

Wong advocates for regulatory reforms that are fair, targeted, and reflective of nan genuine operational challenges faced by manufacture players. Ensuring that reforms are applicable and inclusive, according to Wong, is paramount to nan sustainability and maturation of Malaysia’s tourism industry.

MATTA’s Proactive Engagement and Industry Input

Following these planned changes to regulation, MATTA has embarked upon a bid of Townhall Sessions astir Malaysia. Meetings person already taken spot successful Kuala Lumpur and Johor, and nan sessions are scheduled to return spot successful Sabah, Penang, and Terengganu. The sessions will activity much-needed input from manufacture players, truthful arsenic nan reforms that return spot bespeak nan tourism sector’s reality and requirements.

Promoting Balanced and Efficient Regulatory Changes

MATTA pushes for inclusive statement betwixt authorities officials and tourism players. The regulatory authorities should beryllium amended, according to MATTA, successful a measurement that strikes a equilibrium betwixt strict request for information and practicality of operations. Through progressive engagement successful nan debate, MATTA wishes to spot nan regulatory authorities heighten information without imposing undue burdens upon recreation providers.

Conclusion: Assuring Sustainable and Safe Tourism

This drawstring of accidents of caller times highlights nan request for useful information measures among Malaysia’s tourism sector. MATTA’s inaugural and cooperative engagement successful discussions of regularisation activity balanced, applicable solutions. Such initiatives will service Malaysia’s wide purpose of having beardown information standards, fostering traveler reassurance, and enhancing a sustainable, resilient tourism sector.