Sarawak footballers injured in express bus accident

PAPAR: Twelve passengers of an express bus from Keningau sustained minor injuries after the vehicle was involved in an accident at Kilometre 40 of the Kimanis-Papar road on Sunday morning.

The 12 passengers were members of the Miri FC football team who were on their way to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport after a match in Keningau on Saturday, said Papar police chief DSP Ladamah Sulaiman.

Those injured were taken to the Papar hospital where they received outpatient treatment, he said when contacted for confirmation of the accident.

The bus driver and other passengers, who included a woman and a five-year-old child, escaped injuries, he disclosed.

Ladamah said the bus landed on its side across both lanes of the road and obstructed traffic flow in the area.

“Initial investigation revealed that the accident occurred about 9.30 am after a Toyota Hilux vehicle overtook the bus in a very dangerous and reckless manner. To avoid colliding with the Hilux vehicle, the bus driver had to slam on the brakes a few times and it caused the bus to skid and crash onto its side,” he said.

He added that the driver of the Hilux vehicle did not even stop to assist the victims.

The case, he said, is being investigated under Section 43 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 and urged witnesses of the accident to come forward with the Hilux vehicle's registration number for police to take further action.

Miri Football Association deputy president Nazri Ahmad Lai, who was among those in the bus, said everyone onboard was safe albeit in a state of shock.

“All 28 passengers, comprising officials and players of Miri FA, are safe. Twelve players suffered minor injuries and are receiving treatment at Papar Hospital,” he told The Borneo Post.

He said that the remaining passengers underwent checkups at the same hospital to ensure there were no internal injuries.

The bus driver was not hurt in the incident, he added.

According to Nazri, the incident happened around 9am at Km 40 Jalan Papar-Kimanis when the bus was travelling downhill and went out of control while avoiding another vehicle in front of it.

The Miri FA squad were in Keningau on Saturday for their final group match of the Liga Bolasepak Rakyat (LBR), which saw them beat Keningau 3-1.