KUANTAN: A total of 28 people, including 13 students from Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), escaped unhurt after the express bus they were travelling in crashed into the rear of a trailer at KM161.5 of the East Coast Expressway (LPT) eastbound, shortly after midnight.
Maran OCPD Supt Wong Kim Wai said the incident occurred around 1am while the bus was en route from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan, Kuala Lumpur, to Terminal Sentral Kuantan.
"The bus was in the left lane when it is believed to have collided with the rear of a trailer travelling in the same direction.
"Fortunately, all 28 passengers, including the drivers of both vehicles and the trailer attendant, were not injured,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (June 10).
Supt Wong added that the bus passengers were transferred to another vehicle to continue their journey to Kuantan. The case is being investigated under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Meanwhile, UMPSA vice-chancellor Prof Dr Yatimah Alias confirmed in a media statement that 13 of the university’s students were among the passengers onboard the bus.
She said all students safely arrived at the Gambang UMPSA campus around 4am via a replacement bus.
"With the support of the Student Representative Council and the Department of Student Affairs and Alumni (JHEPA), the students were received at the Gambang UMPSA mosque and provided with food, emotional support, and temporary accommodation, especially for the seven students from the Pekan campus,” she said.
Emergency aid packs containing ready-to-eat meals and other essential items were also distributed to the affected students.
"UMPSA remains committed to the safety and well-being of its students and continues to remind them to prioritise safety at all times,” she added.
This crash comes hot on the heels of the tragic deaths of 13 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students when a chartered bus travelling from Jertih to Tanjung Malim overturned after colliding with a Perodua Alza on the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding, Gerik between 12.30am and 1am on Monday (June 9).
The accident had also left 33 others injured, including the bus driver, his assistant, and the driver and three passengers of the MPV.- Bernama
