Effect of Transport tragedies on tourist arrivals
A WEEK ago tragedy struck when a bus ferrying tourists hit a divider and overturned on its way down from Cameron Highlands resulting in 28 deaths, all but two of whom were Thai nationals.
And now another tragedy has taken place – this time involving a boat carrying about 30 holiday makers which capsized while heading to the Tanjung Laman jetty from a fishing platform in Pulau Sibu near Mersing.
Three Singaporeans died while another two are missing according to the authorities involved in rescue operations.
What was shocking and unacceptable was the fact that initial investigation revealed that the boat was carrying more than the permitted 12 passengers and no one on board had a life jacket on.
Safety has taken another severe blow and this has serious implication not only for public safety but also our tourism industry.
These tragedies can give rise to the perception that holidaying in Malaysia is not safe.
It is hard to imagine how the boat operator had failed to comply with a basic safety requirement.
All this goes to show that good safety practices are still lacking despite the fact that we have the necessary laws to provide for it.
The public transport sector needs to buck up and improve its safety record.
These operators must take full responsibility to ensure the safety of all its passengers.
We must all be committed to make Malaysia a safe country – safe not only from crime and violence but also from man-made tragedies involving public transport operators.
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