A long-distance bus crashed into a road signpost in Malaysia in the middle of the night, killing one Malaysian man and injuring 28 others, including five Singaporeans. The crash has raised questions over who actually owns and operates the bus, as the company behind the “Super Nice” brand denies responsibility.
The fatal accident happened along Malaysia’s North-South Expressway around 3am last Saturday (October 11). The bus, bearing the “Super Nice” logo, was carrying 29 people, including the driver. Kajang police chief Naazron Abdul Yusof confirmed that there were 24 Malaysians and five Singaporeans on board.
A 59-year-old Malaysian man, who worked in the construction industry in Singapore, was seated in the front row and died on the spot after suffering severe head injuries. The rest of the passengers were taken to the hospital with various injuries.
Company says bus was not theirs
Super Nice Express Managing Director Lee Cheng Seong told Lianhe Zaobao that the bus involved was operated independently by Malaysian company Express Senibudaya (M) Sdn Bhd, also known as Senibudaya.
According to Lee, Senibudaya had already terminated its partnership with Super Nice Express on September 9 this year, and did so unilaterally. However, he claimed the Malaysian company continued to use the “Super Nice” brand without permission or authorisation.
Lee said the company had reported the matter to Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), urging the authorities to review whether Senibudaya was legally allowed to sell tickets and operate in Singapore.
“As a responsible company, Super Nice Express believes that only licensed and properly regulated operators should be allowed to provide passenger transport services. This is crucial for ensuring passenger safety, operational transparency, and public trust,” said Lee.
He added that Super Nice Express would fully cooperate with the authorities and hoped they would step in to investigate.
Bus terminal still showing Senibudaya buses
When Lianhe Zaobao reporters visited Super Nice’s Singapore office at Boon Lay Shopping Centre on Monday (October 13) at around 3pm, there were only two staff members present. Each counter displayed a notice stating:
“Due to system failure, we are temporarily unable to sell any tickets.”
One of the counter staff, who declined to be named, said the notice had been up for more than a month. They also said they were not aware of the accident’s details or how the passengers had bought their tickets.
Outside the shopping centre, reporters saw two long-distance buses branded with both “Super Nice” and “Senibudaya” logos parked at the bus pick-up point, even though Super Nice had said the partnership was already terminated.
Checks on the official Super Nice website also showed that more than half of the company’s routes from Boon Lay to Malaysia were still listed as being operated by Senibudaya.
Driver suspected to be fatigued
Reporters at the scene found that one bus was heading to Kuala Lumpur and another to Ipoh. The Kuala Lumpur bus departed around 6.30pm with only two passengers on board.
A driver, who did not want to be named, said the buses were indeed operated by Senibudaya. He mentioned that there were usually not many passengers, so business had not been affected by the crash.
He added that the bus involved in the fatal accident had left Boon Lay at 10pm and was supposed to reach Ipoh at about 6am the next day. However, it crashed before arrival.
He suspected fatigue could have been a factor, saying,
“The speed limit at that stretch was 90km/h, which is considered slow for long-distance buses. It was an overnight drive, so the driver might have been tired.”
Company has many unpaid fines
According to a statement issued by Malaysia’s Land Transport Authority in June this year, Senibudaya was among 17 long-distance bus companies with over 200 unpaid summonses each. The offences included speeding, traffic violations, and technical issues.
Senibudaya ranked fourth on the list, with 390 unpaid fines in total.
Lianhe Zaobao has contacted Super Nice Express again for comment, but has not received a reply at the time of writing.
