Two More Perished in NSE Bus Crash

Adapted from The Star newspaper

RAWANG: Two people were killed and seven others seriously injured when the express bus they were in crashed into a divider before overturning at the 406th kilometre on the North-South Expressway.

The bus, Allison Express, carrying 18 passengers, was heading to Singapore from Penang when the driver was believed to have lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a bend during the 1.30pm incident yesterday.

The dead have been identified as Husaini Karim, 52, from George Town and Khoo Kheng Ch’ng, 77, from Ayer Hitam.

Selangor traffic police chief Supt Che Hussin Omar said, initial investigations revealed the driver lost control of the bus due to slippery road conditions following a heavy downpour.
“Two passengers died on the spot while those seriously injured have been warded at the Slim River and Sungai Buloh hospital,” he said.

Supt Che Hussin said the 44-year-old bus driver had three traffic summonses. An arrest warrant had also been issued for the driver.

A couple who only wanted to be known as Fong, 74, and his wife Lim, 68, said the driver had not been speeding.

“We did not feel the bus driver was speeding or driving recklessly. I believe the crash was because of the slippery road,” a bruised Fong, who was sitting in the front row, said.

Government wants bus passengers to belt up while on the road

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will make it compulsory for passengers on new buses to wear seat belts, particularly those on tourist coaches, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin said.

He said the installation of seat belts was made compulsory for new buses, in line with the international standard as set by Act 80 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe from November 2007.

“The Government will enforce seat-belt fitting for new buses soon,” he said in reply to Senator Lee Chee Keong at the Dewan Negara yesterday.

Some tourist buses have already installed seat belts, out of responsibility to meet the international standards he said, adding that foreign tourists felt better having them.

On the requirement for cars to be fitted with rear seat belts, he said, it only applied to cars manufactured after Jan 1, 1995.

“Vehicles that do not have the belts must have them fitted within three years,” he said.

To a supplementary question by Senator Maijol Mahap on reducing the period for fitting the seat belts from three years to one year, Lajim said the Government had to be flexible so that people would not be burdened by the requirement.

Lajim said for vehicles manufactured before Jan 1, 1995 and Perodua Kancil and Kenari manufactured from mid-1998 to mid-2004, which were exempted from the ruling, owners were encouraged to have rear seat belts fitted as a safety measure.

He said the Road Transport Department had amended the Motor Vehicle Regulations (Seat Belts) 1978 to enforce the seat belt ruling for both front and rear seat passengers. – Bernama

Two killed in Karak crash, 17 including driver, hurt

KUALA LUMPUR: Two passengers were killed and 17 others seriously injured when an express bus heading from Genting Highland towards the city plunged into a 10m-deep ravine along the Karak Highway yesterday.

The identities of the victims, a man said to be a foreigner, and a woman from Seremban, both in their 40s, have yet to be ascertained.

There were 45 passengers on board the bus and most of them were believed to be tourists staying in Genting Highlands. Most of the victims were not carrying travel documents.

In the 6.30pm incident, the driver of the Genting Express bus crashed into a divider at the 25th kilometre of the highway.

It is believed that the 47-year-old driver lost control of the vehicle, and veered left, in heavy rain.

Gombak traffic chief Deputy Supt Mohammad Rafiq Mustafa said those injured were rushed to Selayang Hospital while the two bodies were taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

He said police would question the driver, who was slightly injured, to find out more details of the crash. The incident caused a massive traffic jam for more than four hours.