Loke: Use of Sockets on All Express Buses is Temporarily Banned After Fatal Electrocution Case in Penang

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook has announced that the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) has issued a temporary ban on the use of sockets in all express buses. 

This is following the tragic death of an 18-year-old teen on 1 November after he was electrocuted while charging his smartphone using a socket onboard an express bus at the Penang Sentral bus terminal in Butterworth, Penang.

The use of sockets on all express buses is temporarily banned

Anthony loke siew fook

BERNAMA quoted Loke as saying that the temporary ban is to enable a thorough investigation to determine the actual cause of the incident. 

The Transport Minister asserted,

“We have also sought advice from the Energy Commission (ST), and if there are any improvements needed by the Ministry of Transport, we are ready to work with ST to review the standard operating procedures (SOPs) that need to be implemented before wiring or the use of sockets is permitted in express buses,”

He added that currently, socket inspections are not part of the inspection process conducted by Puspakom.

Loke said that above during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today, whereby the Member of Parliament (MP) for Merbok Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan asked regarding the safety of using sockets in express busses and collaboration with ST.

A Special Taskforce is currently investigating the incident

Previously, the Transport Minister announced that the operation of the express bus involved in the incident had been suspended by APAD.

Moreover, a Special Taskforce consisting of JPJ, APAD and the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) has been activated to investigate the cause of the incident to ensure it won’t happen again.

So, what do you guys think of Loke’s statement? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

Also read: Loke: Bus in Fatal Electrocution Case Suspended, Special Taskforce Activated to Investigate Incident