THE lorry involved in a deadly collision with a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) truck in Teluk Intan last month was found to be operating without an active Global Positioning System (GPS), in violation of commercial vehicle safety regulations, the Transport Ministry revealed in a preliminary report released today.
The report confirms that the company responsible for the lorry had not ensured the GPS unit was functional, despite regulatory requirements. A show-cause letter was issued to the operator on 23 May following the discovery of non-compliance.
The failure to maintain an operational GPS contravenes the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) guidelines, which mandate that all registered commercial vehicles be fitted with functioning GPS devices.
These requirements fall under Article 11 of the Service Level Requirements and Section 57 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010. The only exemption applies to school buses operating solely within three districts.
“The relevant guidelines are outlined in the SPAD Industry Guidebook and Code of Practice: Safety for Licensed Goods Vehicle Service Operators, which has been in effect since 1 November 2013 (Codes 13 and 14),” the report stated.
“Among the obligations of operators are to ensure that every vehicle is equipped with a functioning GPS to monitor speed and location, to monitor and take immediate action against drivers who operate vehicles dangerously or exceed speed limits.
“Operators are also required to review GPS reports for each trip, take disciplinary action and/or provide counselling for drivers who commit traffic offences, maintain related records, and prevent any manipulation or falsification of GPS data.”
Failure to comply may result in enforcement under Section 57(3) and Section 62 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010, including the imposition of fines, imprisonment, or the suspension or revocation of the operator’s licence.
The report also noted that dashboard cameras (dashcams) are not yet compulsory for commercial vehicles. However, this is expected to change.
“APAD is currently updating its safety guidelines to be incorporated into the Land Public Transport (Safety Management) Regulations, with dashcam installation expected to be made mandatory starting in the first quarter of next year,” it added.
The report revealed that the rear cabin of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) truck was not fitted with seatbelts or other restraint systems, significantly increasing the severity of injuries sustained by its occupants, according to a preliminary report released today by the Transport Ministry.
Tthe rear section of the truck, which used bench-type seating, lacked passive safety features such as seatbelts. Investigators believe this critical omission played a key role in the high rate of serious injuries and fatalities during the collision.
“Most of the passengers are believed to have been thrown forward into the front-left area of the rear cabin at the point of impact,” the report stated.
“This resulted in multiple secondary impacts, including collisions between passengers and with the internal cabin surfaces, contributing to the severity of injuries sustained.”
The investigation also noted that unrestrained objects inside the cabin likely became airborne during the crash, further increasing the risk of harm.
“The injury mechanism was further aggravated by the presence of unsecured items in the cabin, which potentially became secondary projectiles during the collision.
“The combination of the absence of restraint systems and the presence of loose objects is believed to have been a major contributing factor to the high rate of serious injury and death in this incident,” the report added.
The gravel-laden lorry was found to have been grossly overloaded and operating in breach of its technical certification.
According to a preliminary investigation released by the Ministry of Transport, the lorry had been approved by the Road Transport Department (RTD) solely to transport coal, with a permitted side gate height of 1,016 millimetres.
“Based on the technical plan issued by the RTD, the measurement was confirmed during the post-accident inspection,” the report noted.
“However, the lorry was found to be carrying a load of gravel, which did not comply with its original approval at the time of the incident. RTD regulations stipulate that vehicles transporting construction materials such as sand or gravel are only permitted to do so if the side gate height does not exceed 762 millimetres.”
In addition to the regulatory breach over the type of cargo and side gate dimensions, the lorry was also found to have significantly exceeded its weight limit.
The report revealed that the vehicle was transporting a load with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 40,960 kilogrammes – a staggering 70.67 per cent over the legal limit of 24,000 kilogrammes.
“It had violated the Land Public Transport Act 2010 and Rule 89 of the Motor Vehicles Rules,” the report stated.
The Ministry has yet to confirm whether charges will be brought against the operator. However, the findings raise serious concerns about industry compliance with commercial vehicle standards and enforcement gaps in safety regulations.
The fatal crash occurred on the morning of 13 May, when an FRU truck transporting 18 officers from Unit 5 Sungai Senam was involved in a collision with a lorry carrying a load of stones. The accident took place at approximately 8.50am. Eight policemen died at the scene, while a ninth later succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at Teluk Intan Hospital. The remaining nine officers sustained injuries. - June 12, 2025
.jpg)
