PETALING JAYA: Numerous tour bus, express bus and commercial vehicle drivers were found to have tested positive for drugs while on duty, transport minister Anthony Loke stated.
Loke’s comments came after authorities discovered 26 tour bus and express bus drivers tested positive for drugs during a special operation involving tourism and public service vehicles conducted from July 2 to 31.
Similarly, a commercial vehicle special operation held from August 1 to 5 saw 276 commercial vehicle drivers undergo urine screenings, resulting in the arrest of 21 lorry drivers by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) officers.
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“This means that in every 13 drivers there is one person who is under the influence of drugs when carrying out their duty of driving on the road.
“This is a very worrying situation,“ Loke stated during a press conference, which was also shared on his Facebook account.
Loke highlighted a significant legal gap during the conference, pointing out that current laws are not stringent enough.
“According to the law as of now, drivers driving under the influence of drugs can only be charged if they cause an accident,” he stated.
In response to this issue, the Transport Ministry plans to re-evaluate existing laws.
“We will re-evaluate the legal aspect and how we can encourage transport operators to be more effective with their screening,“ he emphasised.
It was reported earlier that two siblings died when a trailer veered off course and crashed into their house in Kampung Ketapang Hilir, Pekan, Pahang on August 3.
The incident also saw their parents and a friend who were in the house suffer injuries.
It is learnt that the driver was driving under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the incident.
