KUALA LUMPUR: Amidst the numerous complaints on the quality of public transportation services, many buses and lorries are still not displaying the new SMS complaints number of the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB).A check by Bernama around the federal capital yesterday found that there were still buses, including those belonging to RapidKL, the main bus service operator in the Klang Valley, displaying the SMS complaints number 39900 whereas the CVLB had the mySMS 15888 and direct line 1-800-88-9600 since August 18 last year to receive complaints from the public on misdemeanours by commercial vehicle drivers on the road.
“I’m puzzled why, after four months, they have still not changed to the new SMS complaints number. This concerns (consumers) safety and satisfaction, they cannot play the fool,” said Danial Malik, a public transport user, when met at the Titiwangsa bus station, near Pekeliling, here.
On the other hand, many taxi operators are displaying the new direct line and SMS complaints number on their vehicles.
“The sticker only costs RM2. I changed to the new sticker when I went for the Puspakom inspection last month,” said taxi driver Jamaluddin Zulkarnai.
The media had previously reported that action would be taken on all complaints channelled to the CVLB besides referring to the relevant agencies such as the Road Transport Department (RTD) and the police for further action.
Unfortunately, for the time being, the complaint system only operates during working days from 9 am to 5 pm and the complaints will be recorded in a voice box on weekends, public holidays and after office hours, before action is taken later.
“The CVLB must take action. ,If we are depending on the operators without pressure from the CVLB, they will just provide lip service,” said the Fomca (Federation of Malaysia Consumers Association) chief executive officer Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman.
He suggested that the complaint system also provides the numbers for the RTD and the police.
CVLB chairman Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique conceded that a number of bus operators, including express buses and Class A and C lorries, had not changed their stickers to the new complaints system sticker.
She said most of the operators concerned owned many lorries and buses and thus changing the stickers would take some time.
“The operators have up to the end of the month to change the stickers, failing which action will be taken. But as far as possible, we want them to change based on the policy of social responsibility, not because they are forced by law,” she added. — Bernama