MALACCA: A total of 199 drivers of express buses operating at the Central Malacca bus terminal underwent urine tests for drugs in an operation conducted beginning four days ago in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration.
State Health and Anti-Drug Committee chairman Low Chee Leong said none of them tested positive for drug .
“The state government is concerned for the safety of passengers especially in public transport and we do not want drug users at the wheel of express buses.
“This urine test is a state government initiative through the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) , where six personnel will take turns from 7am to 11pm everyday to conduct the test on bus drivers during the operation period which ends on Feb 2,” he told reporters here yesterday.
Earlier, he attended the ‘Raya Tanpa Dadah’ programme in conjunction with the 2020 Chinese New Year here, which was also attended by Malacca AADK director Nazir Mohamad.
Low said drivers found to be drug-positive would be arrested immediately and investigated under Section 3 (1) of the Drug Dependants (Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act 1983.
The bus company will have to replace the driver to ensure that the bus trip to the designated destination is nor cancelled or delayed, he added.
Meanwhile, in a separate event, Malacca Road Transport Department (JPJ) director Muhammad Firdaus Shariff said that the department would intensify enforcement of road regulations in conjunction with the 2020 Chinese New Year celebration.
We will also have our officers disguised as express bus passengers,” he said, adding that so far, four cases involving express bus drivers who violated regulations had been recorded.
Two of the cases were found were for dropping off passengers at unauthorised spots and two others for misconduct, i.e : for not wearing shoes while driving, he told reporters after the ‘Op Khas Motorsikal’ at Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama here yesterday. — Bernama
