Gerik Bus Tragedy: Task Force Formed As Police Vows Swift Action
KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 (Bernama) -- The fatal bus crash that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students in the early hours of this morning near Tasik Banding in Gerik, Perak has prompted the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to establish a special task force to investigate the tragic incident.
The task force, involving the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), Road Transport Department (JPJ), Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) and other relevant agencies, will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the police aim to complete the investigation report as soon as possible to prosecute those allegedly responsible for the crash.
The accident occurred at 1.10 am at KM53 of the East-West Highway (JRTB) in Banun, near Tasik Banding, when the chartered bus carrying UPSI students overturned after colliding with the rear of a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).
The bus, carrying 42 students aged 21 to 23 returning to campus after the Aidiladha holidays, departed from Jerteh, Terengganu, at 9 pm last night.
Thirteen victims died at the scene, and two succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Post-mortems for 13 bodies are being conducted at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) in Ipoh, while two are at Gerik Hospital.
The MPV, carrying a family of four including two children, veered off the road, resulting in minor injuries.
Police have yet to identify all victims, including the 15 deceased, as post-mortem processes are ongoing, and are investigating technical aspects, human negligence, the driver's records and also if the road's dark, winding and downhill conditions contributed to the crash.
The Higher Education Ministry (KPT) will provide RM2,000 initial aid and RM1,000 disaster relief to victims' families to ease the burden, including funeral arrangements.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
School told to prepare report on teacher's remarks on UPSI bus crash
Perak executive councillor for education Khairudin Abu Hanipah said the district education office contacted the school's principal, and a counsellor was sent to instruct the teacher to remove the post. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : The Perak education department has directed a secondary school to submit a full report over a teacher's social media post about the bus crash that killed 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students. State executive councillor for education Khairudin Abu Hanipah said an initial investigation confirmed that the teacher, whose remarks in a Facebook post sparked outrage online, is employed at the school. 'As an educator, I deeply regret the actions of this individual, who made inappropriate remarks regarding the tragic incident involving the UPSI students,' Bernama quoted him as saying. The post, made under the name 'Khalid Yunus', claimed the students had 'died in disgrace' and were 'not among the faithful' because they allegedly owed money to the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN). Khairudin said the district education office contacted the school's principal immediately after the post went viral, and a counsellor was sent to request the teacher to remove the content. A check at 8.10pm yesterday confirmed that the post had been deleted, he said. The teacher has since apologised publicly, claiming that he suffered from schizophrenia. The fatal crash occurred early Monday morning at Km53 of the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding, Gerik, when the students' bus overturned.


Sinar Daily
6 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Gerik crash: Bus operator's permit revoked
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the company, based in Kedah, was also found to have leased its permit to a third party in Kelantan for RM500 a month. 11 Jun 2025 09:48pm Loke said preliminary investigations also revealed that the bus operator had failed to activate the vehicle's Global Positioning System (GPS). - Bernama photo KUALA LUMPUR - The permit of the bus operator involved in a crash that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students on Monday has been revoked with immediate effect. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the company, based in Kedah, was also found to have leased its permit to a third party in Kelantan for RM500 a month. Loke said preliminary investigations also revealed that the bus operator had failed to activate the vehicle's Global Positioning System (GPS). - Bernama photo "The leasing agreement violated the permit conditions. "I have instructed the Land Public Transport Agency to revoke the company's permit immediately upon expiry of the show-cause letter period,' he told a press conference at Angkasapuri today, which was also attended by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. The tragedy occurred early Monday morning when the bus carrying UPSI students overturned at KM 53 on the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding, Gerik, Perak. The crash also left 33 people injured, including the bus driver and co-pilot, as well as the driver and three passengers of a Perodua Alza, which was involved in the incident. Loke said preliminary investigations also revealed that the bus operator had failed to activate the vehicle's Global Positioning System (GPS). "When we requested the GPS report, the company failed to provide it, as the system had not been activated. This is a serious breach. "As such, the bus operator's permit or operating licence has been revoked with no right to appeal,' he said. On the bus driver's claim that the crash was caused by brake failure, Loke said a full forensic investigation would be conducted. "Dashcam footage clearly shows the bus overtaking at high speed before veering off the road. The driver's claim will be reviewed to assist police in further action,' he added. - BERNAMA


New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Prison guards foil drone drug delivery attempt in Bandung
JAKARTA: Indonesian prison officials have foiled a brazen attempt to smuggle methamphetamine into a Bandung facility using a drone. The incident occurred in broad daylight on Sunday at the Class IIA Narcotics Prison in Bandung, West Java, prison authorities said in a statement. Prison's security unit head Muhammad Nurzaman said guards on duty spotted a drone flying over the inmate housing block before it dropped a package inside the facility. "Officers quickly secured the package and prevented an inmate, believed to be linked to the smuggling attempt, from retrieving it," he added. A preliminary examination revealed two packets of methamphetamine weighing a total of 25 grammes. The suspected inmate and the seized drugs were handed over to narcotics police in Bandung for further investigation. "This incident shows that smuggling methods are no longer conventional. They now involve technology such as drones," Muhammad said. The attempt is part of a growing trend in Indonesia, where criminal networks are increasingly turning to drones to bypass tight prison security. Similar incidents were reported at Sragen Prison in 2023 and at Nusa Kambangan, the country's highest-security facility, as early as 2019, both located in Central Java. – BERNAMA