KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 —Transport Minister Anthony Loke hopes that the Gombak Integrated Terminal (TBG) will provide government service facilities in addition to transportation services and commercial outlets.
He said this would enable the terminal to function like an Urban Transformation Centre (UTC), providing services from agencies such as the Immigration Department, the National Registration Department, and the Road Transport Department.
“When government agencies are located at the terminal, it makes things easier for the public. They can arrive by LRT and conduct their business in a comfortable environment,” he told a press conference after the TBG opening here today.
Loke said the terminal’s location next to an upcoming East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) station makes it a vital component in the country’s transport integration system.
“This terminal must be integrated with escalators and pedestrian walkways to allow passengers to move more smoothly and safely,” he said, adding that the government is formulating strategies to ensure more express buses, especially to the East Coast, make full use of the facility.
Operating 24 hours a day as a transit hub for travel across Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and Hatyai in Thailand, TBG can accommodate up to 1,500 bus trips and 52,000 daily users.
The seven-storey terminal has over 140 rental lots, including a wedding hall, sports centre, and 1,200 parking bays.
Commenting on the Bukit Kajang toll plaza crash that claimed the life of a one-year-old, Loke said preliminary reports indicated that the child was not in a safety seat during the incident.
As a result, the baby was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.
“This is not about blaming the parents, but a reminder to everyone. When the government made it mandatory to use child seats, many complained that it would increase costs … but this incident shows how important child seats are. If there had been one, the baby might still have been saved,” he said.
On the lorry involved in the crash, Loke said checks showed it had two valid permits and a current inspection record from the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom), but its braking system is believed to have failed, causing it to crash into the toll plaza and several other vehicles.
“Puspakom inspections are mandatory every six months, but maintenance in between is the responsibility of transport companies.
“In this case, it is clear that the brakes failed. Therefore, transport companies must take maintenance seriously, not just wait for the Puspakom inspection,” he said.
