MELAKA: Tour bus driver Noorisnien Khamid, 56, who died in a five-vehicle accident at KM204 of the North-South Expressway (PLUS) northbound last night, had reportedly shown a change in his behavior in the past few months.
"My late brother had been different recently. Whenever we met, whether it was a handshake or a hug, he would cry," said his brother, Noorismail, 50.
Noorismail learned of the devastating news from a friend who was stuck in traffic due to the accident. The friend had seen a viral image of Noorisnien's identification card circulating on social media.
"Since Maghrib, I had this uneasy feeling, a sense of drowsiness... I never imagined this tragedy would hit my family," he said when met at the Forensic Medicine Department of Melaka Hospital on Tuesday (Dec 24).
Noorisnien, who lived in Kampung Tawakal, Kempas, Johor, had switched to being a part-time bus driver after losing his job as a chief driver at a tour bus company in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Noorismail shared that his brother would always come to see him before heading out on a journey, but yesterday, he didn’t.
"He leaves behind four children and one grandchild. His body will be laid to rest after Asar today at the Muslim Cemetery in Kampung Maju Jaya, Kempas," he added.
The tragic accident, which occurred at 8.45pm last night, claimed the lives of seven people, including five family members while 33 others were injured.
The accident involved a tour bus carrying 27 passengers, two lorries, a car, and an MPV at KM204 of the PLUS northbound highway.
Initial investigations indicate that the bus collided with a detached lorry tyre in the middle lane, causing the driver to lose control. The coach veered into the opposite lane and collided with three vehicles, resulting in the deaths of five MPV passengers and the bus driver. - Bernama
