#NSTviral: Fresh road markings spotted at Gerik crash site

New Straits Times

a day ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The site of the tragic crash that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students along the East–West Highway is believed to have recently received new road markings, according to a video that has since gone viral.
Posted by user @update11111 on social media platform X, the 60-second clip shows a man driving on the opposite lane of the accident site, pointing out newly painted road markings.
"Line baru ada" ("There are new lines"), he remarks, suggesting the lines were freshly painted following the incident.
The crash, which occurred at Km53 of the highway on Monday, involved a tour bus carrying 42 students and a Perodua Alza. Thirteen students were killed at the scene, while two others died later in hospital.
In a separate post yesterday, actor and road safety advocate Azlan Sani Zawawi, popularly known as Lando Zawawi, commented that the lane where the bus overturned appeared to lack adequate road markings at the time of the incident.
Other users, including one identified as Ahmad Syah, also raised concerns over the road's condition.
"There are uneven surfaces, cracks, and signs of patchwork. The colour and texture of the tarmac are inconsistent, which suggests recent but uneven resurfacing," he said.
The fatal incident has sparked widespread debate over maintenance and enforcement standards on high-risk roads.
Meanwhile, investigations continue into the bus operator's practices. The company's owner was questioned by police earlier today.
The firm had its operating permits revoked yesterday after it was found to have committed multiple violations, including leasing its permit to a third party and failing to activate the bus's GPS tracking system.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed that the permit holder, based in Kedah, had subleased the operating licence to a Kelantan-based party for RM500 a month — a direct breach of regulations.
Authorities have yet to determine whether road conditions or driver negligence caused the crash. Technical inspections, including a brake system analysis, are ongoing.