Student killed in crash on graduation day

The car driven by (inset) lying in a Kampung Simpang Tebuk Sultan-Jalan Alang,

yesterday. SABAK BERNAM: A Politeknik Sultan Idris Shah graduate, who was hours away from receiving her scroll at a convocation, was killed when her car landed in a ditch with 2m-deep water yesterday.

Nurul Azmina Alias, 21, who was to receive her Diploma in Environmental Engineering, drowned when her car landed in the ditch in Jalan Kampung Simpang Tebuk SultanJalan Alang, Sungai Air Tawar here at 8.30am.

Initial investigations showed that she had lost control of the car, which skidded and crashed into a road sign, and then slammed into a concerete wall before landing in the ditch.

The victim’s body was removed from the wreckage by members of the public and sent to Sabak Bernam Hospital for a post-mortem.

Her father, Alias Hussain, said his daughter had been eager to receive her scroll and had said she wanted to leave the homestay where they were staying to go to the convocation first.

Alias, 55, said his second child left when he was taking a shower.

“This morning (yesterday), she was excited to receive her diploma.

“While I was showering, she said she wanted to go first (to the convocation) several times.

“At 6am, she left for her friend’s house, where she would be putting on her make-up, before returning to the homestay to change into her robe and leave for the polytechnic.

“We knew about the accident only when police contacted us,” he said, adding that Nurul Azmina would be buried in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

Nurul Azmina, who enrolled in June 2013, was described as a cheerful and friendly student, who easily made friends with her course mates and lecturers.

She was also active in academic and non-academic programmes.

District police chief Superintendent Nor Azmi Isa said there were no other vehicles involved in the accident, adding that the front of the victim’s car was badly damaged.