theSun | FRIDAY APRIL 17 2009 13

speak up!

t h e s u n s a y s

Needed: A central
registry of offenders
OVER the years, the government must have
spent billions on computerisation and other
information technology related programmes.
Many of them have proved to be a success,
judging from the number of services pro-
vided on-line for the benefit of the people.
Instead of queueing up at offices of the Road
Transport Department to renew road tax and
driving licence, it can now be done at post
offices or online. Similarly, one can even submit
plans for minor renovations without having to
present themselves in person at certain local
councils.
With so much hype and with so much
spent on IT, it comes as a surprise that there
is no database or system which keeps records
of traffic offences committed by drivers of
commercial vehicles. This is further muddled
by the fact that three different enforcement
agencies – the police, the RTD and the Com-
mercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB) are
empowered to act against errant drivers. Each
keeps its own records and the sad fact is that
most of the time, once an errant driver settles
the summonses issued to him, his records are
erased. So, a driver with, say, 20 summonses
to his name, will continue to be employed by
transport operators all because there’s no way
to track his history as soon as the summonses
are settled, hence giving him a clean sheet.
These anomalies had been previously
brought to the attention of the authorities
but fell on deaf ears. In view of the number of
fatal accidents involving commercial vehicles,
it is imperative that the government sets up
a real-time central database of all drivers of
commercial vehicles. Not only can those who
had committed multiple offences be identi-
fied and blacklisted, it will also help transport
operators hire only those with clean records.
All three agencies must pool their data and
resources to ensure that those using public
transport are being ferried in vehicles driven
by careful and considerate drivers.

letters
letters@thesundaily.com

Flexible barriers are an option

I REFER to the Rawang bus
crash in which six people
died on April 13. Readers
have written in highlighting
the driver’s many summon-
ses for speeding and his co-
driver’s outstanding arrest
warrants.
However, a large portion
of responsibility (and blame)
also lies with the authorities.
It is shocking that the road
barriers which are meant
to protect vehicle occupants
have contributed to the loss
of lives. Readers have also
commented on bad road
conditions at the scene.
Indeed, badly maintained
roads, badly placed signs
and trees which obstruct a
driver’s view are not uncom-
mon. One often wonders if
those in authority bother to
drive along the roads they
are charged to maintain
to identify these problems
which are obvious to just
about everyone else.
Our authorities need
to be proactive. Have they
asked themselves if there
is any other barrier system
that could be used to help
save lives? They could look
at more friendly and flexible
barriers to replace the steel
barriers, which may have
been state-of-the-art some 50
years ago. I have seen a vari-
ety of other barriers in Euro-
pean countries, which have
some of the highest safety
standards in the world.
Are those responsible
carrying out regular, prompt
and effective maintenance of
roads, barriers and signs?
The transport minister
should investigate this
matter and work to improve
road safety without further
delay and unnecessary loss
of lives.
Karen M
Petaling Jaya

Hold public inquiry into bus crash

CARELESS driving, poorly
designed roads and unsafe
buses run by profit-making bus
operators are causing carnage
on our roads. The authorities
seem to let these things
happen without positive, real
and long-lasting intervention.
The Association for the
Improvement of Mass-Transit
(Transit) echoes the call by
the Consumers Association
of Penang for an independent
public inquiry to investigate
the April 13 bus crash which
claimed six lives.
Transit also hopes that
the dissolution of the Entre-
preneur and Cooperatives
Development Ministry will be
a prelude to the dissolution
of the Commercial Vehicles
Licensing Board – the gov-
ernment agency that has
brought the “entrepreneurial”
spirit into public transport and,
together with other government
agencies, failed millions of road
users and public transport
users through poor manage-
ment and inaction.
It is time for CVLB director
Markiman Kobiran to step
down and accept responsibil-
ity for the failure of his agency.
It is also time for the prime
minister to fix these agencies.
And for express bus pas-
sengers: do not be ashamed
to tell the driver to drive safely.
Tell them “I want to live!” Shout
it out in the bus and encour-
age other passengers to do
the same. You have the right
to safety on the road – the
government, operators and
drivers have the responsibility
to ensure that you are safe.
Moaz Yusuf Ahmad
Transit

Less tolerance for unfair laws

I REFER to “Why we need
ISA” (April 13), where the
writer asks why the govern-
ment should review the
Internal Security Act.
The answer is: because
it is not a law that addresses
a quantifiable or definite
offence. In other words, the
accusations against the vic-
tim are opinions, not facts.
Because of this, the ISA is
viewed by many as an unjust
and unfair law. As people
become better educated and
more informed, they will also
become less tolerant of laws
that are perceived as unfair.
If you steal money, for ex-
ample, no one in their right
mind will deny that this is an
offence and that you must be
punished. However, to say or
do things that are not favour-
able to the government only
hurts those who are in power.
While the accuser may have
upset the powers that be,
there will also be a number
of people who will agree with
the statement and view any
detention as unfair.
The best thing a govern-
ment can do to retain its
power is to make people
follow the law of the land
with strictness, uniformity
and compassion.
When people are made
to follow the law, they
acquire a sense of purpose,
enthusiasm and direction that
will leave them no time and
no desire to engage in any
anti-government activity.
Marisa Demori
Ipoh