Home » Malaysia Travel News » MATTA Voices Transportation Concerns During Tour Bus Accidents, Seeks Just Reforms to Tourism Industry Act Amendments Saturday, July 12, 2025The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) voiced rising alarm about the latest drafts put forward by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) of the Tourism Industry Act 1992 (TIA) amendments as a result of a series of tragic tour bus accidents. MATTA voiced the rising unease among the stakeholders of the tourism sector, namely the policy changes affecting transportation activity involving Malaysia.In the midst of a series of accidents involving tour buses, MOTAC emerged with the suggestion for enhanced control over land transportation services used by the tourist industry. Among the key recommendations is the requirement for tour organizers to submit reports of accidents involving their buses within a 24-hour time frame. While MATTA welcomes the need for enhanced accountability, the association highlighted practical reasons why the policy could not work well and why it could not be equitable.Advertisement MOTAC’s Planned Steps Cause StirOne of the major areas of disagreement centers on the proposed incident reporting requirement, which zeroes in on quick responses and improved safety. MATTA President, Nigel Wong, expressed that he was aligned with the quick accountability ethos, though expressed reservations about the appropriateness of the regulations as they are today for all travel agencies.“While we recognize the-government’s desire to enforce stricter safety guidelines, the real-world effect of such regulations could be challenging,” Wong explained. “Tourism boards are not just transportation providers; they deal with complete trips. If the blame occurs through drivers or car operators, which are outside their control, sanctioning the complete agency through suspending their license could be unfair as well as excessive.”Also, Wong highlighted that a significant number of travel agencies are not the owners of the tourist transport vehicles, rather, they use the services of third-party providers. Under these circumstances, the travel agency does not have much authority over the activities of the outside drivers or the condition of the vehicles. Hence, the proposal to cancel the tourism license of an agency following a singular incident of transport mishap could have devastating effects for otherwise well-managed and compliant travel business entities.Clarification of Suspension Policy RequiredIt has brought to light another area of concern, which pertains to the policy initiated by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) involving the suspension of drivers in cases of accidents. Whether such suspension should encompass all accidents, major and minor, does not seem to have clarity. MATTA has sought clarification …