KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has directed that a thorough investigation be carried out into the fatal accident involving Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel near Teluk Intan in Perak.
The Prime Minister also ordered that assistance be extended to the victims and their families.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the fatal crash could have been avoided if the lorry involved had adhered to stringent inspections by Puspakom.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the lorry had a malfunction that caused its steering system to fail.
“This accident might not have happened if the vehicle had undergone a Puspakom inspection. We should not only place the responsibility on the lorry driver, as the company owner must also be held accountable,” he said after chairing the Road Safety and Traffic Congestion Cabinet Committee meeting.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said an independent special task force will be set up to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the tragic incident that claimed the lives of nine FRU personnel.
“We are committed to uncovering the actual cause of this tragic incident.”
Loke said the task force aims to identify effective preventive measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain has also instructed Perak police to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
He said that the investigation must be conducted fairly and transparently.
Nine FRU personnel were killed when a lorry transporting sand crashed head-on into their vehicle along the KM15 Jalan Chikus-Sungai Lampam stretch.
They were on their way back to their base in Sungai Senam, Ipoh, after completing their crowd- control duties during the Chitra Pournami festival when the incident happened at about 8.50am yesterday.
Perak police chief Comm Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin said the FRU vehicle was part of a seven-vehicle convoy comprising one bus, four heavy-duty trucks and two Land Rovers.
The truck involved in the accident was the fifth in the line-up and was loaded with equipment, which contributed to the severity of the crash.
He said FRU deployments typically follow a three-day standard operating procedure – one day for travelling to the duty location, one for the assignment, and another for the return journey.
He said of the nine victims, eight died at the scene while one succumbed to injuries at the Teluk Intan hospital.
Nine others sustained injuries and are still undergoing treatment at the hospital’s emergency unit.
“We will assist the (remaining) FRU personnel involved in the accident, as well as the family members (of the deceased),” Razarudin said.
The deceased are 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.
