Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said legal action could be taken against the bus company concerned for failing to operate according to the stipulated rules and regulations.

“There have been past cases where we brought bus operators to court. Even though they were not the drivers, as the owners of the bus company, they too held some responsibility.

“In this case, I think it is appropriate for JPJ to open an investigation paper and after that, it will be referred to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action,” he said during a visit to the site of the tragedy here today.

According to Loke, the bus company failed to comply with the mandatory components of the JPJ Inspection and Safety Audit (Jisa).

He said the seven mandatory components of Jisa include the need for a safety supervisor in the company and the installation of GPS to monitor vehicle speed.

“The GPS was not activated. Also, the maximum eight-hour driving limit must be adhered to by the driver, but this was not monitored by the company.

“Another issue is the requirement for a 30-minute break after every four hours of driving for the driver, GPS installed in all vehicles, having an emergency action plan and company hotline. All of these components were not complied with,” he said.