SHAH ALAM: The Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) has dismissed allegations that the school bus, from which a 12-year-old fell through its rotting floorboard on July 4 in Kelantan, was in poor shape.
It said the school bus had passed a periodical thorough inspection in May, which involved its entire body, brakes, suspension system, side slips, smoke emission and other vital tests.
“Based on our records and pictures taken during the inspection, Puspakom had examined the school bus in accordance with the scope and standards set by the authorities.
“All of the items checked on the school bus was in good condition,”said Puspakom’s communications and customer service department in a statement today.
The statement also said that it had submitted a post accident school bus inspection report to the police and the Road Transport Department (RTD) two days ago (July 10) following the incident.
This was following an accident inspection conducted with the police, RTD and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) on Tuesday, (July 9).
“We will not give further comments on the report as it is now under police probe. Puspakom would like to stress that we will not compromise with vehicles that do not meet the standards stipulated under the Road Transport Act 1987.
“We advise the public against making speculations and baseless assumptions that will further sadden the victim’s grieving family.
“We will leave it to the police to carry out an in-depth investigation,” said the statement.
Puspakom said from July 1, 2018, till June 30 this year, periodical checks were conducted on more than 26,000 school buses, of which 7,300 or 28 per cent had failed the test.
“This record clearly shows that Puspakom will not easily approve a vehicle that does not meet the requirements of the scope and standards.”
In the incident, Wan Muhammad Adam Mohd Suria was said to be standing near the steps of the moving school bus with his friends when the floorboard was believed to have collapsed.
The Year Six pupil of SK Tok Bok in Machang suffered head and body injuries in the noon incident.
Wan Muhammad Adam and his schoolmates were headed for Bukit Keluang in Terengganu to attend a two-day English course organised by Universiti Teknologi Mara.