FAULTY WIRING LINKED TO TEEN’S ELECTROCUTION ON EXPRESS BUS

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- Faulty electrical wiring on an express bus, carried out by personnel unauthorised by the Energy Commission (ST), has been identified as one of the causes of the electrocution incident that led to the death of an 18-year-old passenger.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke revealed that preliminary findings by the Special Task Force investigating the incident highlighted irregularities in the wiring, including a reversed connection between the distribution board (DB) output and the socket wiring.

“In addition, the electrical equipment used on the bus did not meet the required standards for approved products,” he said.

“The bus had new wiring, but the task force found irregularities that made it unsafe. For instance, the socket wiring was installed in reverse, causing the input and output to be inverted,” he told a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

He expalined that the high voltage passing through the socket led to the fatal electric current flow through the victim’s body, resulting in the tragic incident and that these are some of the key causes identified.

The Special Task Force investigating the electrocution incident on the express bus comprised representatives from the Road Transport Department (JPJ), Land Public Transport Agency (APAD), Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), Energy Commission (ST), Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM), and the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom).

Loke said APAD identified another bus operated by the same company with similar electrical wiring issues and it consequently issued a suspension notice, temporarily halting the operations of the bus pending further investigation.

In response to the incident, he said APAD also issued an immediate ban on the use of 3-pin sockets and USB charging ports in all express buses effective Nov 6 and that this prohibition will remain until the Ministry of Transport establishes new policies and guidelines for additional wiring.

“Bus operators are encouraged to send their buses for additional wiring inspections conducted by accredited inspection and testing bodies recognised by the Energy Commission. If they pass, they may submit the results to APAD to resume socket usage,” said Loke.

For licensing purposes, APAD now requires both new and existing bus operators to provide inspection reports or certificates for additional wiring conducted by accredited testing bodies under the Department of Standards Malaysia.

Operators must also submit detailed reports on their wiring and additional electrical components, such as cables, power sockets, and residual current devices, for all commercial vehicles.

Loke added that his ministry is developing a new set of guidelines for additional wiring, which is expected to be completed within six months.

-- BERNAMA