Driver who learnt a few Thai phrases saves 21 tourists in bus fire

A MALAYSIAN bus driver saved the lives of 21 Thai tourists from a fire with a few simple sentences in their language.

China Press reported that 60-yearold Chen Yuan Xing from Kedah alerted his passengers in Thai when the bus suddenly caught fire.

The drama took place at the North-South Expressway when the bus was heading from Simpang Empat to the Ayer Keroh toll in Malacca at 11.10pm on Sunday.

Chen, who has been driving tour buses between Malaysia and Thailand for 10 years, woke the passengers up in Thai as most were sleeping when the bus caught fire.

The bus had left Hat Yai in Thailand at 12.30pm for Singapore with 21 passengers and two drivers.

Chen said most of the passengers managed to escape with their belongings although one passport was destroyed in the fire.

> A man was found dead outside the emergency department of Hospital Sultanah Aminah in Johor Baru at around 1am on Monday.

Quoting a source, China Press reported that the man was taken to the hospital on a motorcycle by two men. The 38-year-old had swollen eyes and multiple injuries.

A police source said the man was certified dead at around 1.15am by medical staff. The victim was from Gemas, Negri Sembilan.

Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Sulaiman Salleh said police were investigating the case under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder. He urged witnesses to contact the police at 07-221 8999.

> Taiwanese mandopop singer Wilber Pan was spotted wearing a luxury watch worth the price of a mansion to a friend’s gathering on Valentine’s Day.

He posted a photograph of himself and a friend over Instagram, and netizens said the watch was a Richard Mille RM056 Chronograph Tourbillon limited edition that cost about RM8.4mil.

Pan denied the watch was his. “This is a very good timepiece and I wish it were mine, but it is not. I borrowed it from a friend,” he said.