KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Anthony Loke has extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the seven victims who perished in the tragic road accident on the North-South Expressway near the Ayer Keroh toll plaza yesterday.
"On behalf of the entire Ministry of Transport, I extend my condolences to the victims' families," Loke said in a statement.
Last night (Dec 23), an accident involving a tour bus, two trailers, and a Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) claimed seven lives and injured 33 others.
According to Loke, preliminary investigations revealed that the crash occurred after a tyre detached from a trailer truck, causing a tour bus to swerve and collide with three vehicles from the opposite direction.
"I have instructed the Director of the Enforcement Division (of the Road Transport Department) to immediately conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident," he said.
Loke added that appropriate action would be taken against the companies operating the trailer and the tour bus. Loke also assured the public that the RTD would ramp up stringent enforcement against heavy commercial vehicles to ensure compliance with safety standards.
"RTD will continue to enforce stringent and integrated measures to guarantee the safety of road users," he added.
The accident occurred after the bus crashed into a tyre, which had detached from a trailer and was lying in the middle of the North-South Expressway (PLUS).
The victims who have been identified include the 56-year-old bus driver, Noorisnien Khamid from Johor; the MPV driver, Khairul Ikhwan Mazupi, his 32-year-old wife, Fadzlenna Ramli; their youngest child, Muhammad Umar, 2; and Fadzlenna's father, Ramli Ab Wahab, 56.