MORE Pics-MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION at BUS LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT When Opened on Arrival ; PASSENGER SERIOUSLY Hurt & Hospitalized; MORE Questions UNanswered

The explosion is rather mysterious and even more mysterious is why the passenger was the first to open the luggage compartment himself and suffered the full blast of the fire. Surely the luggage compartment should have been properly secured with locks and the Bus driver should have opened it first.

ABOVE: The Mahligai Express bus luggage compartment where the explosion occurred on opening the compartment, and BELOW: A closer look at the burnt out remaininside the compartment

How can the City Deputy CPO SAC Datuk Ahmad Bahrin Idrus ruled out terrorist involvement while still investigating all possible motives?
Apparently a burnt out battery and an empty can with “petroleum based liquid” were found after the blast. For NINE long hours nothing happened and ONLY when the door was opened, did the explosion occurred. So was it a wire-triggered bomb planted into the compartment in Rantau Panjang, a town near the Malaysian-Thai border in Kelantan or during one of the transit stops?

The greatest concern is what if the explosion had occurred during the journey, the bus could be immobilized and a serious accident occurred and the 50 odd passengers would be at risk.
And what did the smart new IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan suggested.? (see Update at Bottom) A manifest listing all the items carried out by bus passengers like what the airlines do. If this were carried out, the buses would be delayed and the fares increased by 50%. There are thousands of bus passengers daily and imagine the extra paper work incurred and even if “bombs” were to be carried who would declared them.
The IGP is putting forward the idea to the Transport Ministry just like his idea to reduce speed to postpone the deaths perhaps. The Transport Ministry is already burdened and they should thrash his impractical idea.
There are 3 accounts of the reports below and NST has more details. The Bernama version is too brief as it was released much earlier but none have any pics.

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'I heard a loud bang and saw my husband on fire' ; 06 Oct 2006, from NST.

Fadhal Ilahi Abd Ghani, Lydia Gomez and Aliff Yusri
KUALA LUMPUR: Three members of a family were injured when an explosion ripped through the luggage compartment of an express bus at the Putra terminal yesterday morning. Mohd Sayuti Yusof, 39, was hospitalised with 20 per cent burns on his upper body and is said to be in serious but stable condition. His wife Nurisah Yusof, 29, and their five-year-old daughter Nadia Chana received outpatient treatment for slight burns on their arms and face.

The cause of the explosion has not been established but forensic personnel are conducting tests on a burnt-out motorcycle battery found in the luggage compartment of the double-decker bus. The incident occurred at 5.30am when Sayuti and his family were unloading their bags after a nine-hour journey from Rantau Panjang, Kelantan.

The couple, who operate a restaurant in Taman Murni, Cheras, had gone back home to southern Thailand to bring their four daughters here for a holiday. Nurisah said they had five bags, two containing clothes and the rest vegetables for their restaurant.

"There was a loud bang and I saw my husband on fire," she said at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital. "My children and I were standing behind him when the explosion occurred. His shirt was on fire and he was running to put out the flames." Witnesses said they saw Sayuti running past the bus. After bystanders grabbed him and put out the flames, he collapsed.

Another passenger, Nik Mohd Norddin Nik Li, 19, said he was standing close by when he saw the fire in the luggage compartment. "I did not wait to find out what happened. I got into the bus to get my older sister out," Nik Mohd said. The victims were among 48 passengers on board the Mahligai Express bus, which made three stops in Pasir Mas, Kuala Krai and Gua Musang, before arriving in Kuala Lumpur.
The driver, who only wanted to be known as Mohd Salleh, 45, said he had just left the vehicle and entered the bus station when he heard an explosion. "I don’t know what was stored in the compartment that could have caused the explosion," he said.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said like air travellers, a passenger manifest and luggage tagging system should also be introduced for bus passengers. This, he said, would assist the authorities speedily identify passengers and their luggage during emergencies and accidents, adding police would put forward the proposal to the Transport Ministry soon.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said there was no fould play or any element of terrorism in explosion. "We just want to know the identity of the bag's owner and why did a combustible liquid that smell like petrol and kerosene was placed in the bag"

Commenting on the incident after breaking fast with personnel of the Puchong police station yesterday, Musa said police were still trying to identify the owner of a container of petroleum-based liquid and the motorcycle battery found in the bus compartment.
"The battery was inside a luggage believed to be owned by a woman as among the other items were cosmetics and women clothing." Musa was among the first at the scene of the explosion earlier.

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Friday October 6, 2006, STAR account

Chef hurt as bag in bus explodes ; By ANDREW SAGAYAM

KUALA LUMPUR: A chef suffered burns on his body when a bag in the luggage compartment of a long-distance bus from Kelantan exploded at Hentian Putra here yesterday morning. Mohd Sayuti Yusuf, 39, was injured when a fire broke out following the explosion as he was removing his bags from the luggage compartment . His shirt was set alight and the bus driver and workers at the bus terminal put out the flames with fire extinguishers.

His wife and five-year-old daughter suffered minor injuries in the 5.30am incident. Mohd Sayuti was rushed to Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH) where he underwent surgery and was reported to be in stable condition.

The Mahligai express bus started its journey with 48 passengers from Rantau Panjang, a town near the Malaysian-Thai border in Kelantan, at 9pm on Wednesday and had just reached Hentian Putra when the explosion took place. The express bus was supposed to continue its journey to Shah Alam. Sources said forensic police found a motorcycle battery inside the luggage compartment which was believed to have triggered the explosion.
City Deputy CPO SAC Datuk Ahmad Bahrin Idrus said police were investigating all possible motives but have ruled out terrorist involvement. “We view the incident seriously and we will conduct a thorough investigation to find the cause of the blast. We do not want to speculate until we find out what actually happened,” SAC Ahmad Bahrin said.

ABOVE: Police forensic personlle looking for clues to the explosion and BELOW Clearing uyp the debris after the explosion.

When met at KLH, Mohd Sayuti’s wife Norizah Yusuf, 29, also a chef, said the couple and their four daughters were on their way to Taman Murni, Cheras. Norizah said she and her five-year-old daughter Nadia Jana suffered minor injuries when debris from the explosion hit them. “My husband was the first person to get down from the bus to take out our bags. I was behind him and when he opened the luggage compartment door, we heard an explosion and a fire broke out.

“The next thing I knew, my husband’s shirt was on fire. Luckily, the driver and workers nearby came to his rescue. I am thankful that he didn’t suffer more serious injuries,” she said.

Explosion In Luggage Compartment, Two Express Bus Passengers Hurt; October 05, 2006 16:50 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Two passengers of an express bus suffered severe burns from an explosion at the luggage compartment of the bus when collecting their bags at Putra Bus Terminal near the Putra World Trade Centre.
It is believed that a 39-year-old man and his five-year-old daughter were seriously injured and were treated at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, Bukit Aman acting CID director Datuk Mokhtar Hassan and Kuala Lumpur acting CID director ACP Ramli Din were at the scene but declined to comment on the incident.
Also at the scene were investigators from the forensic unit to gather evidence to assist in the investigation.
It is believed the explosion was triggered by a motorcycle battery brought by one of the passengers in a bag kept at the luggage compartment.

In the 5.30am incident, the Ekspres Mahligai, carrying 48 passengers, left Rantau Panjang in Kelantan at 9pm last night and arrived at Platform 7 of the terminal here to drop off some passengers before heading to Shah Alam, its final destination.
It is understood the victim, his wife and their three children were taking out their bags when an explosion occurred in the compartment on the left side of the bus.

The fire from the explosion is believed to have engulfed the victim's shirt and his daughter's hair, causing them to suffer severe burns.
A Kuala Lumpur Hospital spokesman confirmed the two victims are being treated at the emergency unit. Their identities are still not known.
Meanwhile, a Bernama check on the bus showed that the luggage compartment had turned blackish.

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Update, 16:37pm October 06, 2006 00:46 AM

Express Bus Operators May Have To Prepare Passenger List

SUBANG JAYA, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- The police will discuss with the Road Transport Department (RTD) about making it compulsory for express bus operators to prepare a passenger list to facilitate investigation when an incident happens.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said this when commenting on an explosion in an express bus' baggage compartment which injured two passengers at the Putra Bus Terminal near the Putra World Trade Centre, here Thursday morning. "In this case, we do not know who owns the baggage believed to contain petrol and a car battery.

"When we have a passenger list, each passenger will be given a tag or sticker to be placed on their respective bags, similar to what is practised by airlines. Should there be a similar incident, the police investigation will be easier," he told reporters after breaking fast at the Puchong Jaya police station Thursday night.

Musa said the idea was still at the discussion stage and would only be implemented when all parties agreed to it. He said the police were investigating whether there was any ill intent or terrorism in the incident. A 39-year-old man and his five-year-old daughter, who were injured by the explosion, are being treated at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

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