IPOH: Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) vice-chancellor, Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff (pic), clarified that the bus involved in the road accident on the East-West Highway (Jalan Raya Timur-Barat, JRTB) was not operated by the university.
"The students had privately rented the vehicle to return to campus after the Hari Raya Haji break. It was an initiative made by the students themselves," he said in a press conference at the Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun here.
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Students travelled from Jerteh, Terengganu to the university's main campus.
He added that accommodation and monetary aid will be provided to the victims' families.
"We have informed the families of the victims and will provide aid to them. There will be one UPSI personnel assisting the deceased families.
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"Based on the list, 44 students were supposed to board the bus. We are still identifying the time the victims left from Terengganu. We expect the post-mortem to conclude by this afternoon," he added.
Earlier, it was reported that a total of 42 students, a bus driver, an attendant, and four occupants from the other vehicle were involved in the crash.
The accident occurred when the bus overturned and the car veered into a ditch, with both vehicles heading from Jeli towards Gerik.
