UPSI student mourns friends lost in tragic East-West Highway crash
IPOH: An attempt by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) student to check on the whereabouts of two friends who were travelling on a chartered bus ended in heartbreak when he learned that both were killed in a crash early this morning.
Mohamad Alif Nasnawi, 21, never imagined that the messages he sent to Nur Ayuni Maslan and Muhammad Adib Hazim Halim, both aged 21, last night would remain unanswered.
His two friends were among the 15 UPSI students who perished in a fatal accident at KM53 of the East-West Highway (JRTB) near Tasik Banding in Gerik while returning to campus from the East Coast after celebrating Aidiladha.
'Last night I texted them, asking where they were, but there was no reply. I knew they were taking the bus, and this morning I found out they were involved in the accident,' he said when met at the Forensics Department of Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) in Ipoh.
Mohamad Alif, who is from Perak said, using chartered buses is a common practice among UPSI students from the East Coast when returning to university after semester breaks.
Mohamad Alif who appeared sombre said, the last time he spoke with Muhammad Adib was when his friend expressed interest in ordering custom shirts for their student batch.
'He was a very kind person, quiet, and didn't talk much. His passing is deeply felt. I'm deeply saddened by what happened and feel a great sense of loss. They weren't just friends, they were like family,' he said.
In the 1.10 am tragedy, 15 UPSI students were killed when the tour bus they were travelling in overturned in a collision with a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) on the JRTB route in Gerik.
The tragic fatal accident sent shock waves throughout the country.
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New Straits Times
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KUALA LUMPUR: Early Monday, the nation was shocked by a fatal crash involving a bus carrying 42 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students travelling from Jerteh, Terengganu, to Tanjung Malim, Perak. The accident, which also involved a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) on the East-West Highway (JRTB) near Tasik Banding in Gerik, claimed the lives of 15 students. The following is a chronology of the accident: 1.10am – The Hulu Perak Civil Defence Force District Operations Control Centre receives an emergency call regarding the incident from Gerik Hospital. It said a total of 48 victims were involved, with 13 individuals found dead at the scene, two succumbing to injuries in hospital, and four others injured. Perak Fire and Rescue Department director Sayani Saidon confirmed that the accident caused the bus to overturn and a car to skid into a ditch. UPSI Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student and Alumni Affairs) Prof Dr Norkhalid Salimin said most of the bus passengers were UPSI students returning to campus in Tanjung Malim from Terengganu after the Hari Raya Aidiladha holidays. 9.32am – UPSI confirms that 42 of its students were involved in the accident at JRTB Banun, Gerik, early Monday. 11.21am – Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir says 13 bodies of the victims involved in the crash were taken to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB), Ipoh, for post-mortem examinations. He also confirms that 15 UPSI students had died in the accident. 12.04pm – Perak Police Chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin says the bus was carrying 42 students aged between 21 and 23, all from the East Coast. All bodies were awaiting post-mortem; 13 were sent to HRPB while two were at Gerik Hospital. A total of 27 other students - 23 females and four males - were also injured, along with the 40-year-old bus driver and his 54-year-old assistant. Also injured were the MPV driver and passenger, a couple aged 37 and 36, and their two children, a six-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy. Noor Hisam said the identities of the victims, including the 15 who died, could not be confirmed yet as the post-mortem process was still underway. 2.25pm – Police announce the formation of a special task force to investigate the crash. 5.30pm – The identities of six out of the 15 UPSI students who died in the accident near KM53 of the JRTB are confirmed. In a statement, UPSI's Corporate Communication Division identifies them as Sufea Adela Maslihaizan, 21; Mohammad Aqil Taqiudin, 21; Anis Soffiyya Md Zaidi, 20; Nur Ainul Qistina Mat Ali, 21; Muhammad Adib Hazim Halim, 21; and Wan Nur Suhaila Wan Mohammad, 22. Also confirmed dead are Fakhrul Arif Rosdi, 20; Nurul Fatihah Abu Setaman, 22; Nur Dalila Farhana Mohamad Isma, 21; Nurul Izyanti Muhamad Azahar, 21; Nur Amni Nadiah Nik Nor Zabir, 21; Muhammad Mustaqim Rosde, 21; Nor Ayuni Maslan, 21; Nurly Sahirah Azman, 23; and Fatin Nasrien Fadli, 22. 6.51pm – Noor Hisam says post-mortem examinations of 13 UPSI students at HRPB have been completed, and the bodies may be sent back to Terengganu earlier than expected. 8.55pm – A convoy of hearse vans carrying the deceased UPSI students begins leaving the HRPB Forensic Department, heading to Jerteh, Terengganu.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
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UPSI offers full support to families of students killed in Gerik crash
IPOH: Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) is providing comprehensive assistance to the families of the 15 students who died in an accident at Km53 of the East-West Highway (JRTB) near Gerik today. UPSI vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff said the welfare of the victims, including several students receiving treatment at three different hospitals, will be taken care of. "Two students are being treated in Ipoh (Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital), four in Taiping Hospital, and several in Gerik Hospital are under our attention. "Our officers are there to help the families, including providing accommodation. "We will also take care of all the personal belongings of the deceased, which will be packed and sent to their respective villages. "The families do not need to come to UPSI — we will handle everything," he told reporters when met at HRPB here. He said that the university is also providing counselling services to the victims' families and the affected students. Md Amin also mentioned that those who wish to contribute can do so through the UPSI Prihatin Fund and the Student Representative Council (MPP) Welfare Fund. "We have two channels, and the public is advised to get the correct information through UPSI's official website. "This matter has already been uploaded, and the financial assistance will be audited and distributed to the families," he said. It was reported that 15 UPSI students were killed in a tragic accident involving a UPSI student bus and a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) at Km53 of the East-West Highway (Jalan Raya Timur-Barat) this morning. The bus was travelling from Jerteh to the university's main campus in Tanjung Malim.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
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Gerik crash: Terengganu govt to cover funeral for 15 UPSI students
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