Road trip for two families takes tragic turn
ALOR SETAR: A holiday turned tragic for two families from Johor when the van they were travelling in plunged into an irrigation canal along Jalan Kota Sarang Semut here.
Odd-job worker Shafie Wahab, 55, died after being sent to the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital while 12 others survived the crash.
It is learnt that Shafie had just taken over the wheel from the driver they had engaged, about five minutes before the 3am incident yesterday.
The driver, Nor Khusaini Mad, 30, was warded at the same hospital for injuries.
Initial police investigations showed that Shafie lost control of the vehicle before it rammed into a lamp post. The vehicle turned turtle before plunging into the canal.
His wife Suriati Faidi, 38, and four children – Mohamad Shahzuan, 17, Nur Suhana, 14, Mohamad Shahril, 13, and Nur Suhaila, six – received outpatient treatment.
Another family of six – Abdul Shukor Ahamad, 49, his wife Zainab Kasim, 47, daughters Habsah, 27, and Siti Haishah, 23, son-in-law Mohamad Shaharuddin Abd Malek, 23, and granddaughter Nur Aisyah Fathiha Mohamad Taufik, four – had minor injuries.
Mohamad Shahzuan said he was jolted from sleep by a sudden loud crash.
“The next thing I knew, the van was already in the canal.
“I managed to crawl out before helping the others to safety.
“My father was pinned to his seat. His body was partially sub- merged in the water.
“I managed to free him with the help of several passers-by. He was still breathing when we brought him to the roadside,” he said.
An inconsolable Suriati, when met at the hospital, said it was her idea to organise the trip along with their neighbours.
They left their houses in Kota Tinggi on Friday, travelling in the van she had bought for RM11,000 three days ago.
On Saturday, they had gone for sight-seeing in Port Dickson after attending the passing-out ceremony of another son, Mohamad Sharizat, 20, from a basic army training course at Kem Rusa.
Suriati said they were travelling to Kuala Nerang, Kedah, to repay a RM2,000 personal loan taken from Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia in 2007.
“I have not serviced the monthly loan instalment for some time after moving to Kota Tinggi.
“My husband told me to settle the debt before going for umrah.
“I never expect all this to happen. It was supposed to be a fun and relaxing trip,” she said.
Kota Setar OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Rozi Jidin said the case would be investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving.
He advised the public to pay serious attention to road safety, and avoid overloading passengers into a vehicle.