CUEPACS URGES REVIEW OF SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR TRANSPORTING CIVIL SERVANTS

KOTA BHARU, May 14 (Bernama) -- The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has urged the government to reassess safety protocols and operating procedures for transporting public sector personnel, following a deadly crash in Perak.

Its president Datuk Dr Adnan Mat said the review should include vehicle safety features such as seat belts, passenger limits and more appropriate transport, particularly for non-operational trips like training or workshops.

“For deployments to high-risk areas, sturdier vehicles with additional protection should be considered,” he told reporters after officiating the Public Health Act 2025 enforcement seminar here today.

Adnan noted that the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (OSHA 1994) requires employers to ensure a safe working environment.

He also cited the Employment Act 1955, which mandates worker protections, including insurance and compensation in cases of injury or death while on duty.

Adnan called for the upcoming pension reform to maintain, if not improve, existing protections, particularly benefits for families of personnel who die in service.

His comments came after a crash in Teluk Intan yesterday killed nine members of the police’s Federal Reserve Unit (FRU).

The officers, from Unit 5 in Sungai Senam, Ipoh, were returning from duty at the Chitrapournami celebration when their truck collided with a gravel stone-laden lorry at 8.50 am.

Adnan expressed condolences to the victims’ families and acknowledged that precautionary steps were likely taken, but said more must be done to prevent similar tragedies.

“This incident underscores the need for comprehensive welfare, not only in pensions but also in ensuring proper compensation for the next of kin,” he said.

-- BERNAMA