Why are we so complacent? Why do we let bus drivers speed and treat our lives like it has no value at all? Why only when a major accident happens then only we start to complain and speak out even when we know all along that something bad is going to happen? And above all, why do we let profit and speed jeopardise the lives of travellers?

Its interesting to note that Malaysians, the public and the government, always find themselves no reason to act when everything's going smoothly. Accidents happen because drivers disregard the importance of valuing one's life and the safety of other road users. The recent accident at Bukit Gantang is by far the most horrific accident involving an express bus for as long as any Malaysian can remember. And yet, we let this happen. The JPJ and Polis do their part by enforcing the law, but still, not much has been done (and often too late) or maybe much has been done TO them by irresponsible and corrupt people.

Why didn't they pursue this bus-driving demons? The countless summons and arrest warrants issued to the driver who killed 22 people were obviously not deterring him from driving and the fact that he was still driving buses proves to us that bus drivers are becoming bolder. In the end, normal law-abiding citizens become the victims. Since that accident, at least 2 more buses had crashed, with one driver fleeing the scene of the accident.

The thing is, the good-hearted people of Malaysia didn't even move a finger eventhough they're the very people that these bus companies depend on. What's wrong with us? Don't we value our own lives? Malaysians are too complacent, that's the bottomline. I've sat in buses driven by drivers from hell, and its probably one of the scariest thing one can do in Malaysia (put that on Fear Factor's list of challenges). When the driver speeds, some of us would think "Oh good, he's driving faster, we can reach there earlier.". And maybe during Christmas, Chinese New Year, Deepavali or Raya, most of us couldn't wait to meet our loved ones back in our kampung (I'm sure the bus drivers feel the same), but there's no reason for us to rush. As the saying goes "Biar lambat asalkan selamat". Have we forgotten this Malay proverb that we always hear and read during our BM classes in school? Apparently, we have.

If its not the roads and vehicles that cause an accident, its the driver. It's our lives people! Protect it, take control, fight for it! We've all seen too much and many had suffered because of this. If we can't depend on Big Brother, we can depend on ourselves. Through unity, we can act as a single force, even greater than the government and law-enforcers. Philippines had proven it not once but twice when they ousted Ferdinand Marcos and Joseph Estrada. Its called people power.

I'm not implying that we should start a revolution, for what right? I'm just saying that Malaysians need to show to these people that we are a force to be reckon with when it comes to this kind of issues, because it concerns our lives. We should look at ourselves and the role that we play in the country before we start pointing fingers and start pointless, never-ending arguments. Malaysians need to wake up and stand up for themselves now, or continue living blindfolded, led by unscrupulous people, bent on benefiting themselves.