ALOR GAJAH: An elderly woman died while four others, including her grandchild, were injured in an accident at Jalan Kampung Paya Rumput, Masjid Tanah, near here just after midnight today (April 15).
The incident occurred around 12.10am when the victim, Timah Abu, 82, and her family were travelling from Masjid Tanah towards Lubok Redan in a car.
Alor Gajah district police chief Superintendent Ashari Abu Samah said today that the police received a report of the accident at 12.50am involving two cars.
The accident is believed to have occurred when a man driving the other car from the direction of Kampung Ramuan China Besar lost control while negotiating a bend at the scene.
His vehicle veered into the opposite lane and collided with the car carrying the victims.
"The collision caused the victim, along with her son-in-law, Noordin Mohamed Sali, 50, who was driving the car, her daughter, Saadiah Mohd Yasin, 46, and her 6-year-old grandchild, Muhammad Megat Iskandar Muhammad Zulkalnain, to sustain injuries. They were all sent to Alor Gajah Hospital (HAG) for treatment.
"At around 4am, the hospital informed us that the elderly woman had died while undergoing treatment.
"The driver of the other car, who is the muezzin of Masjid Ramuan China Besar, aged 59, also sustained injuries and is treated in the hospital's red zone," he said.
According to Ashari, Timah's body was sent for post-mortem and the vehicles involved would be kept at the Alor Gajah traffic police station until they are sent for inspection.
He said preliminary investigations found that the accident was caused by failure to control the vehicle, but further investigations were ongoing.