Wan Agyl Wan Hassan, the founder of the transport think tank My Mobility Vision, praised the database as an important step in the right direction, especially in the wake of recent tragedies.

However, he said, it should be integrated directly with the Kejara demerit and traffic summons systems so drivers with unresolved high-risk infractions are automatically blocked from renewing licences or being dispatched for jobs.

“The goal should be to prevent unsafe drivers from getting behind the wheel in the first place; not just penalise them after a tragedy occurs,” he said.

Earlier today, transport minister Loke Siew Fook said the database would include all categories of bus drivers to ensure only responsible individuals are entrusted with the safety of passengers.

“We aim to develop this database as a reference for bus operators and transport companies, particularly to identify drivers with prior offences,” New Straits Times reported him as saying.

However, Wan Agyl urged the ministry to “build on what already works”, pointing out that some logistics industry sectors, particularly those dealing with hazardous materials, have deployed sophisticated digital compliance platforms.

“In some cases, they are already linked to enforcement data. Instead of developing a new system from scratch, we should explore how these tested tools can be expanded and adapted for broader national use covering buses, commercial fleets and other high-risk operators,” the former official of the now-defunct Land Public Transport Commission said.

Besides integration of Kejara and the traffic summons system with the new database, Wan Agyl proposed that the platform be co-developed through public-private collaboration.

“(This will bring) together government agencies, enforcement bodies, and industry players who already have the tools, data, and infrastructure in place,” he said.