Two killed in bus crash along unlit highway

Relief driver had three outstanding summons for speeding

HULU SELANGOR: Two people were killed when a bus crashed into a ditch at KM422 of the North-South Expressway (NSE).

The bus, which was travelling from Kangar in Perlis to Johor Baru, was carrying 26 people including the driver and his assistant when the incident occurred at about 5.10am yesterday.

A 46-year-old Indonesian woman, Masenah, and assistant bus driver M. Arasu, 47, were found dead at the scene.

Another passenger, Fadhilah Kholip, was seriously injured and was sent to Hospital Sungai Buloh.

Hulu Selangor OCPD Supt R. Supramaniam said the bus was travelling along a dark stretch with no street lamps.

It is learned that Arasu, who is the relief driver behind the wheels, had three outstanding traffic summons for speeding and had been a bus driver for eight months since October last year.

The bus also had four summonses for speeding this year.

Police are investigating the case under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving and causing death.

The other passengers in the bus suffered only minor injuries and they continued their journey in a replacement bus.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Mohd Sani Harul said 15 firemen went to the scene after receiving a distress call at about 5am.

In Ipoh, two children were among eight people injured when a four-wheel drive vehicle crashed into another car on the highway near Bagan Serai here.

The incident occurred at KM196.9 of the northbound lane late Wednesday.

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said a distress call was received at 11.17pm.

“One of the female victims was trapped in the back seat of the car.

“We managed to get her out using rescue tools while the other victims were rescued by the public,” he said, adding that all eight have been sent to the Taiping Hospital for treatment.

Kerian OCPD Supt Omar Bakhtiar Yaacob said the driver of the Proton Saga heading north, a 23-year-old man, lost control of his vehicle and hit the road divider.

He was travelling with four other passengers including a fiveyear-old boy.

“The Toyota Hilux, travelling in the same direction, could not avoid the car in time and crashed into the Proton Saga,” he said.

Supt Omar Bakhtiar said investigations were underway as the drivers and passengers of both vehicles had yet to lodge a report.

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