SCHOOL BUSES CAN RUN 30 YEARS

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 22, 2009) : The age limit of school buses has been extended from 20 years to 30 effective next year.

In announcing the decision, Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) chairman Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique said today the 10 year extension was to enable school bus operators with vehicles which had exceeded the current 20 year age limit to continue to operate and provide transport service for school children.

"However, they are required to send their buses for periodical checks at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection centre (Puspakom) to ensure the vehicles are road-worthy," she said in a statement, reports Bernama.

She said it would be up to Puspakom, depending on the bus condition, whether or not to allow the vehicle to continue to be on the road.

On the application for new licences and vehicle replacement, the age of the buses to be licenced should not be more than 20 years from the registration date, she added.

Meanwhile, the move to extend the age limit of school buses, from 20 to 30, has been lauded by the School Bus Operators Association of Malaysia, reports Husna Yusop.

Its president Chee Ah Tay described the move as "practical and proper" and said it would relieve the problems faced by the operators of some 70% of the total 16,000 school buses in the country which were 20 years or older.

"In our view, as long as the buses have passed the Puspakom inspection, they should still be allowed to be on the roads. But, we agree there is a need to limit the age due to public perception.

"Thirty years old is a practical and proper age limit for the buses as they are still safe to be used. It is also an age accepted by the public," he told theSun.

Chee said before this, they were not very comfortable with the government’s decision and the association has asked the government for a review towards a more practical policy.

The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) also welcomed the decision as its chief executive Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman said it would also indirectly benefit consumers.

"The parents would benefit from the move too when the operators need not have to incur more costs to buy new vehicles. So, this is also a good move for consumers.

"However, we would like to suggest for the older buses to go through more regular and detailed inspections and for the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board to perhaps restrict their travel distance," he said.

Mohd Yusof said parents would feel safe sending their children on the buses if they have been assured to be in good condition by Puspakom.


The Sun, 22 Dec 2009

STATUS IJN PERLU DIKEKALKAN SELAMA-LAMANYA

KUALA LUMPUR 6 Dis. - Status Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) perlu dikekalkan untuk selama-lamanya kerana ia hak mutlak rakyat.

Justeru institut perubatan itu tidak wajar dijual supaya rakyat terus mendapat perkhidmatan terbaik terutama mereka yang kurang mampu.

Pengarah Projek Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia (PPIM), Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin berharap kerajaan tidak berkompromi dengan mana-mana pihak yang mempunyai cita-cita untuk mengambil hak rakyat itu.

''Ada perkara yang kita boleh bertolak-ansur atau melepaskan dan ada perkara yang tidak boleh malah jangan sesekali. Jangan menyesal lagi di kemudian hari," katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.

Kerajaan semalam memberi jaminan IJN yang merupakan aset serta khazanah bernilai bagi rakyat itu tidak akan dijual kepada mana-mana pihak.

Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai memberitahu, pihak yang bercita-cita untuk membeli kepentingan kerajaan dalam IJN supaya memadamkan hasrat tersebut kerana penubuhannya bukan bertujuan komersial sebaliknya untuk rakyat.

Presiden Persatuan Perlindungan Pengguna Malaysia (PPPM), Datuk Mohd. Firdaus Abdullah pula meminta kerajaan memberikan jaminan kepada orang ramai bahawa IJN tidak akan dijual.

Kata beliau, langkah itu akan memberi ketenangan kepada masyarakat terutama pesakit IJN yang masih bergantung harap kepada kerajaan dalam menanggung kos perubatan yang tinggi.

''Kita minta IJN terus berada di bawah kerajaan kerana banyak pesakit yang terdiri daripada golongan berpendapatan rendah," kata beliau.

Firdaus bagaimanapun berpendapat, penjualan IJN masih boleh diteruskan tetapi hanya apabila ekonomi rakyat dan negara stabil sepenuhnya.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Gabungan Persatuan Pengguna-Pengguna Malaysia (FOMCA), Yusof Abdul Rahman berkata, IJN wajar dikekalkan di bawah kerajaan kerana pusat perubatan itu tidak pernah menghadapi kekangan kewangan.

Jelas beliau, IJN merupakan satu-satunya pusat pakar jantung dalam negara yang menjaga kepentingan masyarakat terutamanya golongan berpendapatan rendah.

''Kita harus berbangga dengan kewujudan IJN di bawah kerajaan, walaupun dari dulu hospital itu di bawah kerajaan namun, kualiti kerja di kalangan kakitangannya semakin mantap.

''Jika IJN di ambil oleh syarikat swasta yang kononnya akan menjalankan tanggungjawab sosial, tetapi percayalah... pada akhirnya nanti hanya keuntungan yang dicari dan mutu kerja akan berkurangan," kata beliau.

Utusan Malaysia, 7 Dis 2009