
‘Please keep them in your prayers': UPSI vice-chancellor confirms students in fatal bus collision
KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Md Amin Md Taff has confirmed that the university's students were involved in a fatal bus crash on the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding, Gerik, early this morning.
The bus and a Perodua Alza had collided with 15 lives lost to date.
Md Amin said the bus had departed from Jerteh, Terengganu.
'The bus was from Jerteh and there were UPSI students involved. Please keep them in your prayers,' he was quoted as saying by Harian Metro.
He said the university is awaiting further details from the authorities.
Md Amin added that he is currently on his way to Gerik Hospital to visit the victims and gather more information.
Civil Defence Force personnel attend to the injured and deceased at the scene of the bus-Perodua Alza collision on the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding, Gerik in Perak on June 9, 2025. — Bernama pic
UPSI also posted a message on its official Facebook page.
'May all matters be eased for the Sultan Idris Education University students involved in this morning's road accident,' the university said.
The post was accompanied by a black background with the words: 'UPSI Mourns. 9 June 2025.'
A screenshot of the official UPSI Facebook account on June 9, 2025, following a fatal collision between the university bus and a Perodua Alza, on the East-West Highway near Tasik Banding, Gerik in Perak that has killed at least 15 people and injured several more.
Hashtags

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


The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
Make wearing seat belts mandatory in buses
KUALA LUMPUR: The tragedy that claimed 15 lives at KM53, of the East-West Highway (JRTB), near Tasik Banding, Gerik, early Monday morning, clearly indicated the laxity of law enforcement and the careless attitude of public transport operators who take passenger safety for granted. Although it is mandatory to install and wear seat belts for all passengers of new express buses and sightseeing buses starting in 2020, after almost five years, the regulation appears to be largely ineffective, with little to no real impact. In fact, in the tragedy early yesterday morning, some victims were reported to have been thrown out, thus becoming a stark reminder that the safety of lives cannot be compromised. Although a thorough investigation into the tragic incident is being conducted through a newly established special task force, experts also view the failure of enforcement to implement existing laws as a matter of serious concern, furthering the need to improve passenger safety. ALSO READ: Safety, improvement of East-West Highway to be brought to Cabinet tomorrow- Loke Commenting on this, Alliance for a Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye stated that many buses still do not comply with the seat belt requirement. 'When an accident occurs, of course passengers are thrown out of the bus due to not wearing seat belts. This demonstrates the careless attitude of public transport operators, who appear to disregard the safety of passengers. 'So I see this issue involving the failure to enforce the law. It is very important to implement and enforce to reduce the impact of fatal accidents,' he told Bernama. Meanwhile, Malaysian Road and Transport Safety Association president Md Hairolazaman Muhamed Nor said his party also emphasised monitoring the installation of seat belts in every bus. ALSO READ: UPSI bus tragedy probe still in early stage - Ayob Khan 'This action can encourage more bus operators to follow the regulations set by the Industry Code of Practice (ICOP) Safety Training and the Road Transport Department,' he said. Explaining further, Md Hairolazaman said the installation of a Global Positioning System (GPS) and cameras installed in buses can monitor passengers to always wear seat belts throughout the journey. Sharing the same view, Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre head Assoc. Prof. Dr Law Teik Hua said bus operators can no longer take lightly the provision of seat belt in passenger seats which are safety-related. 'It is mandatory to have a seat belt in every seat in the bus. So the parties involved must find a way to ensure that passengers use the seat belt, for example, a seat belt with an 'alarm'. ALSO READ: UPSI bus crash driver had 18 outstanding traffic violations: Police 'If not worn (the seat belt), it will sound and warn the bus driver to ensure that passengers comply with the rules,' he explained. In the accident that occurred between 12.30 and 1 am, 15 students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) died after the chartered bus they were travelling in from Jertih to Tanjung Malim, Perak overturned after being involved in an accident with a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) at JRTB, near Tasik Banding, Perak. The accident also left 33 others injured, including the bus driver and attendant, as well as the driver and three passengers of a Perodua Alza.

Malay Mail
28 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Gerik crash: Bus driver apologises, denies speeding after viral video claims, says brakes failed
TAIPING, June 10 — The driver of the ill-fated bus that crashed and killed 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students yesterday has apologised and denied claims he was speeding. Mohd Amirul Fadhil Zulkifle said the incident was caused by sudden brake failure while descending a hilly stretch on the East-West Highway, near the elephant crossing bridge in Gerik, Harian Metro reported today. 'I apologise to all the victims' families and the students involved in the accident yesterday morning. What happened was because the bus brakes suddenly failed,' he was quoted as saying from his hospital bed at Taiping Hospital, Perak. He said the bus – which departed from Terengganu for the main UPSI campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak – was functioning well, until the brakes failed without warning. 'At that moment, I tried everything I could, but since the bus had no air pressure left, nothing worked — not even the handbrake or the gear shift,' he was quoted as saying. Amirul claimed he did his best to avoid crashing into other vehicles as the bus sped downhill uncontrollably. 'What I did then was try to avoid hitting other vehicles. As far as I remember, I managed to avoid four vehicles, including a lorry, before the accident happened. 'The last vehicle I overtook was a car with a dashcam, and by then I was doing everything I could to prevent a worse situation.' A video clip of the bus overtaking vehicles on the highway has been circulating on the internet since yesterday, prompting questions about its speed. 'People saw me speeding and overtaking, but the truth is I was trying to avoid crashing into them. Unfortunately, it was a winding road and I couldn't do anything more,' Amirul was quoted as saying. The 39-year-old who has been driving buses since 2016 claimed he shouted to warn the students aboard the bus once the brakes failed. 'Those sitting at the front may have heard me, but most at the back were asleep and thought I was just yelling. 'I estimate the bus travelled for over a kilometre without brakes. I truly did my best as a driver to prevent the accident. 'I wasn't speeding as claimed. I know the Jeli-Gerik route well, and we were going downhill at the time,' he was quoted as saying. When the bus overturned, Amirul said he briefly lost consciousness. Upon waking up, he urged the UPSI students to crawl out through the broken windscreen. He related that he did the same and cried when he saw the students' condition. 'In all my years of driving, this is the first accident involving fatalities. As a bus driver, I feel deeply guilty. 'But there's no turning back time. All I can do is apologise, and I leave the investigation to the police,' the Besut native added. Amirul is currently awaiting surgery for a broken left arm. Yesterday, police said preliminary investigations found the bus had hit the rear of a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) before overturning. The MPV carried a family of four who survived the crash after veering into a ditch. The driver and his toddler son have since been discharged while his wife and six-year-old daughter remain warded for medical treatment at Baling Hospital in Kedah. Police have yet to formally question the bus driver and have indicated they will apply for a remand order after he is discharged.


New Straits Times
32 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
No potholes, signage intact at site of fatal UPSI bus crash
IPOH: The road surface and safety features at Km53 of the East-West Highway, the site of a tragic crash that killed 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students, were found to be in good condition, with no potholes or missing road signs. Perak Public Works Department director Ir Zamri Mat Kasim said inspections confirmed that all essential road safety elements, such as guardrails, chevron signs and signboards, were properly installed and well maintained. "In our latest site inspection, we found the road surface to be in good condition, with no potholes. "Road safety elements such as guardrails, chevrons, and signboards are all intact," he said when contacted today. It was reported yesterday that 15 UPSI students were killed in a tragic crash involving a bus ferrying students and a Perodua Alza along the East-West Highway near Gerik. He added that a total of 385 solar-powered streetlights would soon be installed along the stretch of road to further improve visibility and safety. "We have already completed the tender process for these lights, and we expect to award the installation contract by July," he said. He also said poor visibility due to darkness was not identified as the main cause of the accident. "According to the preliminary police report, the accident was caused by the bus driver's excessive speed, which was deemed unreasonable," he said. Zamri added that funds had been allocated to resurface the road and repaint road markings in the affected area to further enhance safety. "Forensic officers from the Public Works Department headquarters are currently at the site conducting a detailed study and preparing a full report," he said. It was reported that Federal Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri had said that the driver of the bus had a record of 18 traffic summonses. Mohd Yusri said checks on the driver's record showed that 13 summonses were for speeding, one for an accident-related offence, three for not wearing a seatbelt, and one for a faulty third brake light.