When will they ever learn...

Last month it was express buses. And now, few days ago a ferry caught fire on the way to Pulau Tioman. When will they ever learn. Cause of the fire, now baru check on the ferries nation wide. Whether they are legal ferries or not.

Only when there are lost of lives baru 'check this, check that'. And this is supposed to be Visit Malaysia year.


Survivors want answers from authorities

17.10.2007.

New Straits Times

Survivors of the ferry which caught fire and sank while on its way to Pulau Tioman last Saturday have questions.

Ng Soon Tiong, 41, who was part of a 24-member family holiday group that included 10 children, said the family wanted the parties involved to explain how the tragedy could have happened.

Ng's uncle, Hong See Tiew, 53, and aunt, Teh Siew Lian, 52, were two of the four killed.

"I want answers from the ferry company, Marine Department, travel agent and, especially, the Transport Ministry.

"I want to know how a ferry with an expired shipping permit, no insurance, insufficient life jackets and supposedly blacklisted by the authorities was left to run its course until now," Ng said at the DAP headquarters after attending the funeral of Hong and Teh.

Also present was Ng's brother-in-law, Tan Chee Hee, who was among those on board the ferry.

Tan claimed that the life jacket he grabbed for his son was later found to be faulty when they hit the waters. Fortunately, they were picked up by a boat 30 minutes later.

"The crew members of Seagull Express 2 were incompetent. When my brother-in-law and I pulled the bodies of our uncle and aunt onto the rescue boat, we had urged the crew to perform first aid.

"But they refused, claiming that they did not know how," said Tan, who was shocked by their answer as he had thought that first-aid training was a must for all seamen.

Ng's wife, Sylvia Lucas, said the ferry's design should also be scrutinised as it lacked proper emergency exits.