The Genting accident must not be allowed to be another 'act of God, no human cause' tragedy

I call on Acting Minister of Transport Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and the Government to re-open the investigation into the Genting tragedy that claimed 37 lives, the nation's worst road accident ever. A Royal Commission of Inquiry should be commissioned into the incident that took place on 22nd August 2013 and independent foreign experts should be called in to assist.

It was reported that Hishammudin tabled the early report prepared by the Road Safety Department to the Cabinet yesterday. Hishammuddin was reported as saying, "after looking at many aspects, including the gradient of slope, driver, design of road, brakes, tyres etc… it was clear that not a single thing can be shown as the real cause."

And, the Acting Transport Minister said he was "quite happy” with the investigation which took place.

It is appalling that Hishammudin would be "quite happy with the investigation." Malaysians would expect the Minister to say that he is not convinced by the report and ask the investigators to re-open the case with more experts to be called in.

Of course no one is looking for a single reason that caused the tragedy. Such cases are often caused by a confluence of factors that culminated at the same time.

What is expected of the Minister and the Government is preparedness to get to the bottom of the disaster and name whoever responsible in whatever way that resulted in the tragedy.

In July 1988, when the Penang's Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal bridge collapse happened, a Royal Commission of Enquiry chaired by Tan Sri Chang Min Tat was commissioned. There were 32 deaths in that incident. The Genting incident took the lives of 37 persons.

The investigation into the Genting tragedy must not be a whitewash. It must not be another "act of God, no human cause" case that we are now so used to.