TELUK INTAN: Grief hung heavy in the air as families of the nine Federal Reserve Unit personnel gathered outside the mortuary of Teluk Intan Hospital.
The solemn silence was occasionally broken by the quiet sobs of loved ones awaiting the post-mortem results of the nine.
The wife of Kpl Amiruddin Zabri, 38, could not hold back her tears when speaking about the tragedy.
Norazian Mohd Joned, 38, a civil servant attached with the Kampar police district headquarters, said she met him on Monday (May 12) afternoon, shortly before he left to carry out his duty in Teluk Intan.
The mother of three children aged between 12 and one year and three months from Gopeng said she was used to him traveling outstation for work.
"This morning I received information in some chat groups regarding the accident, and I immediately called my husband, but the calls went unanswered.
"I then called a friend of my husband, who told me to be calm, and he then broke the news to me," she said.
The brother of Sjn S. Perumal, 44, another personnel who died in the accident, said his older brother was supposed to take his family in a car for the Chitra Pournami festival in Teluk Intan.
Ahren, 41, a teacher, said his brother had told his wife, a nurse at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital, and their two young children to come along to attend the event, and that he would drive.
Perumal has two daughters aged seven and five. The older girl is autistic.
"However, because it was difficult to manage the children, especially with the girl being autistic, his wife decided not to go.
"Since my brother would be on duty, it will be difficult for the wife to manage with the two daughters," he said, adding that his brother then followed the troupe.
Perumal stays in Lahat near Ipoh and has been in the police force since 2011.
Ahmad Saat, 75, the father-in-law of Kpl Mohd Pozli Jaudin, 41, said he received the news from his daughter, a teacher in a school in Ipoh.
"My son-in-law was a good man, and a father of three girls aged between 13 and five.
"I don’t know what to say. It is fated," said Ahmad, who stays in Hutan Melintang.
The deceased included Sjn Perumal Sugunanathan, 44; Sjn Mohd Roslan Abd Rahim, 46; Kpl Mohd Pozli Jaudin, 41; Kpl Nurit Ak Pandak, 34; Kpl Amiruddin Zabri, 38; Kpl Mohamad Hilmi Mohd Azlan, 38; Kpl Muhamad Akmal Muhamad, 35; L/Kpl Damarrulan Abdul Latif, 33, and Konst Akmal Wafi Annuar, 28.
Those injured are Sjn Mazlan Mat, 50; Sjn Mohd Parih Ali, 44; Kpl Haslizal Mohd Ali, 44; Kpl Nizam Tarmizi, 38; Kpl Mohd Izwan Hj Ishak, 39; Kpl Mohd Harrisul Ikhsan Mohd Mahabudin, 39; Kpl Syed Isfan Syed Mohammad, 32; Kpl Mohammad Zulnaidi Muhammad Zulkifli, 34 and L/Kpl Muhammad Aniq Taufiq Rozi, 26.
