Latest news with #HariRayaAidiladha
New Straits Times
19 hours ago
- General
- New Straits Times
Headlights trigger flashbacks of Gerik bus crash, says Alza driver
SUNGAI PETANI: The sight of headlights behind him at night still triggers haunting memories for Mohd Lutfi Radzi, 37, who is faced with lingering trauma from a horrific accident that claimed 15 lives in Gerik last month. "Whenever I see lights approaching from behind at night, it brings me back to that moment," said the school teacher, who admitted that he remains deeply affected, especially when driving through dark stretches of road. Although emotional scars have gradually faded, Lutfi said the early days following the crash, particularly when his wife and children were still hospitalised, were the most difficult. "The memory is still vivid, but things are slowly improving. We have to keep moving forward as a family. In fact, we will soon travel along the same road again to visit my in-laws in Kemaman, Terengganu," he told reporters after receiving a visit from Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar at his home in Bukit Banyan yesterday. On June 9, Lutfi was behind the wheel of a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) when it collided with a bus at KM53 of the East-West Highway (Jalan Raya Timur-Barat) in Gerik, Perak. The family was heading home to Baling after celebrating Hari Raya Aidiladha in Kemaman. The crash claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students and left many others injured. Lutfi said his wife, Nurul Ain Zakaria, 36, and their two children, who were also injured in the incident, are now in stable condition but still require rest and should avoid strenuous activity. "As a whole, my family is about 80 per cent healed. My wife, who suffered five broken ribs, can now manage light chores such as sweeping and washing dishes but she takes frequent breaks. "Our eldest daughter, Nur Aisyah Nafisah, 6, who broke her right thigh, can move about but isn't allowed to place weight on the injured leg yet. While our youngest, Muhammad Ahsan Nafis, 2, only sustained minor bruises and scratches," he added. Lutfi said both his wife and daughter are expected to return to school by September, depending on their recovery progress. He also expressed his gratitude to all who have offered support and prayers, especially the education community. "I want to thank the media as well, and apologise for not being able to speak while I was in the hospital. My physical and emotional state back then just didn't allow it. "My heartfelt appreciation also goes to the State Education Department, Baling District Education Office, and fellow teachers from SK Malau and SK Tembak for their moral support and generous contributions," he added.
Focus Malaysia
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Focus Malaysia
Affordable cars dominate market as consumers downtrade amid economic pressures
TOTAL industry volume (TIV) plunged 19% month-on-month (MoM) largely due to scheduled plant maintenance shutdowns during the Hari Raya Aidiladha holidays. Meanwhile, TIV declined 6% year-on-year (YoY) mainly due to the shifting of new models launches toward the second half (2H) for this year by Perodua and other Japanese marques. 'Looking ahead, we believe July 2025 TIV will be much higher than June 2025 TIV with full production month and attractive mid-year sales bonanza,' said Kenanga. National marques stood their ground, reaping market share from the non-nationals marques, especially Perodua, backed by strong sustained demand in the affordable segment, attractive new launches, and a downtrading trend by mid-market buyers. Within the non-nationals marques, Mazda suffered the most due to slower new launches and being affected by intense competition from Chinese marques. We have the passenger vehicle segment in June 2025 at 49,804 units. A two-speed automotive market locally will persist stretching to end-2025 and flowing into calendar year 2026 (CY26). It will be business as usual for the affordable segment as its target customers, that is, the B40 and lower tier M40 groups, will be spared the impact of the impending RON95 subsidy rationalization and could also potentially benefit from the introduction of the progressive wage model. Government is still finalizing the mechanism to use for the RON95 subsidy rationalisation and expects that 90% of the Malaysian will not be affected. The upper-tier M40 and T15 groups may hold back from buying new cars, down-trade to smaller cars or switch to hybrids and EVs to cut their fuel bills upon the introduction of fuel subsidy rationalisation. Concurrently, household bills will also be affected by the higher fuel bills, as well as expected 14% increase in base tariff for the higher-end usage which could also drive consumers to switch to solar-panels, in-turn boosting the demand for EV to funnel the excess grid electricity. Additionally, EV routine maintenance costs are considerably lower than ICE's due to fewer moving parts and wear & tear parts. Vehicle sales will also be supported by new BEVs that enjoy SST exemption and other EV facilities incentives up until CY25 for CBUs and CY27 for CKDs. The new registration for BEVs leapt from 274 units in CY21 to over 3,400 units in CY22, 13,301 units in CY23, and 21,789 units in CY24 (based on the Ministry of Transport's press release), or 3% of TIV. We expect more favourable incentives from the government which has set a national target for EVs and hybrid vehicles of 20% of TIV by CY30 and 38% by CY40. Meanwhile, the government will speed up the approval for charging stations. The number of proposed charging stations is currently at 4,477 (4,161 built to date) and this should more than double to 10,000 by end-CY25. —July 22, 2025 Main image: ptc
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Malaysia's Q2 GDP projected to grow 4.5pct
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's economy is estimated to grow 4.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, slightly higher than the 4.4 per cent recorded in the previous quarter, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM). The preliminary estimate signals that Malaysia's economic growth momentum remained steady in April and May, with expectations of stronger performance in June. For the first half of 2025 (1H25), the economy is projected to expand moderately by 4.4 per cent, staying close to the government's official target range of 4.5 to 5.5 per cent for the full year. Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the economy continued to expand in the second quarter of 2025, supported by firm consumer demand despite ongoing global challenges. He said domestic consumption remained the key growth driver, backed by public sector salary adjustments, school holidays and seasonal spending during Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Hari Raya Aidiladha. He added that a stable labour market with low unemployment and inflation further strengthened household spending. "On top of that, the continued implementation of cash assistance programmes such as Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) and Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) also contributed to sustained household spending throughout the quarter," he said in a statement. By sector, Mohd Uzir said manufacturing showed mixed performance, with growth of 5.6 per cent in April before moderating to 2.8 per cent in May. This was driven by sustained activity in the electrical and electronics subsector and strong demand from domestic-oriented industries, as reflected by the Industrial Production Index. Similarly, wholesale and retail trade sales, which indicate consumer and business activity, rose 4.4 per cent in May, easing from 4.7 per cent in April, mainly supported by steady wholesale and retail trade performance. However, the external sector posted mixed results, with trade activities growing at a slower pace in May due to weaker demand for exported goods. "While domestic spending remains the main pillar of the economy, the external sector faces challenges influenced by tariff-related developments and ongoing global political uncertainties," he said. Mohd Uzir said services remained the key growth driver in the second quarter of 2025 (2Q25), recording a 5.3 per cent increase compared with 5.0 per cent in the first quarter, mainly contributed by wholesale and retail trade, transport and storage as well as business services. The manufacturing sector grew 3.8 per cent, supported by the production of electrical, electronic and optical products, vegetable and animal oils and fats, and food processing. The construction sector registered double-digit growth for six straight quarters, rising 11 per cent, driven mainly by non-residential buildings and special trades activities. The agriculture sector increased 2.0 per cent, fuelled by the palm oil subsector.
Barnama
6 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
Malaysia 2Q GDP Forecast To Expand 4.5 Pct, Fuelled By Robust Domestic Demand -- DOSM
BUSINESS KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's economy is forecast to grow by 4.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2025 (2Q 2025) based on advance gross domestic product (GDP) estimates, slightly outpacing previous quarter's 4.4 per cent. Growth is expected to be driven by robust domestic demand amid global headwinds, according to the Statistics Department Malaysia (DOSM). In a statement today, DOSM said growth momentum was sustained in April and May, with a stronger performance anticipated in June. "Overall, the economy is estimated to have grown moderately by 4.4 per cent in the first half of 2025," it said. Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said domestic consumption remained the key driver, significantly boosted by the lingering effects of public sector wage adjustments, school holidays and seasonal spending during both Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Hari Raya Aidiladha. A stable labour market, together with low unemployment and inflation rates, further reinforced household spending. 'Cash assistance programmes such as Sumbangan Asas Rahmah and Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah also contributed to sustaining household consumption during the quarter," he said. Mohd Uzir noted that the manufacturing sector experienced varied performance in 2Q, growing by 5.6 per cent in April and moderating to 2.8 per cent in May. "This growth was largely attributed to sustained activity in the electrical and electronics sub-sector and robust demand from domestic-oriented industries, as indicated by the Industrial Production Index.
Barnama
30-06-2025
- General
- Barnama
Emotionally Challenging But Duty Calls
M ohd Azizan Aziz was exhausted after driving back to Gerik, Perak, from Terengganu in the early hours of June 9. Still, the Gerik Fire and Rescue Station chief decided to stop at his workplace where he had been based since 2021. It was not unusual for him to go to work outside of his duty hours as he lived alone (his wife and children reside in Jerteh, Terengganu). As he neared the station, he sensed that something was amiss – the atmosphere hinted at an unfolding emergency. Coincidentally, it was at that very moment the station received the grim news of a horrific road accident on the East-West Highway (JRTB). 'Just as I arrived, a fire engine was leaving the station compound,' Mohd Azizan told Bernama, adding that what he was about to witness would turn out to be the most devastating and heartbreaking case he had encountered in his nine years of service as a rescue personnel. One of the deadliest crashes in the country in over a decade, the Gerik accident claimed the lives of 15 students from Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI). It involved a tour bus and a multipurpose vehicle and occurred near Tasik Banding, about 60 kilometres from the Gerik fire station, on the East-West Highway. The bus was chartered by a group of 42 UPSI students from Jerteh and the crash occurred while they were on their way back to their campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak, after celebrating Hari Raya Aidiladha with their families back home. MENTAL STRENGTH ESSENTIAL Mohd Azizan said in any emergency, the head of rescue operations plays a critical role as all actions taken are based on the decisions and initial assessments made by that officer. He also emphasised the importance of strong mental resilience for all rescue team members during such operations. Mohd Azizan Aziz. 'Each member must learn to suppress their emotions in order to carry out rescue efforts effectively,' he said, adding the Gerik tragedy was the first time he had encountered an accident involving such a large number of casualties and fatalities. He said the June 9 crash was the second most challenging operation he and his team had carried out along the East-West Highway over the last four months. 'Indeed, many accident cases requiring complex operations occur along this stretch. On Feb 8, I was involved in a rescue operation to extricate a trailer driver and his assistant who were trapped… the trailer had skidded and overturned into a drain. One victim died at the scene while the other was injured,' he said. In the fatal bus crash, the fire and rescue team had to cut open the roof of the vehicle to extricate victims, some of whom were found piled on top of one another. CHAOS IN THE DARK Recalling the incident, rescue operations commander Senior Fire Officer II Kamarul Ariffin Abd Ghani said they received the report of the crash at 1.04 am on June 9. 'Before we got the call, we were all busy with administrative tasks, with some of us completing reports of previous cases to be entered into the system, and doing other routine work. Kamarul Ariffin Abd Ghani. '(Once we got the call) I and nine other personnel rushed to the scene. On the way, we tried to contact the caller who had reported the incident but were unsuccessful,' he told Bernama. He said the initial report did not convey the full extent of the crash but as a precaution, he contacted the Perak Fire and Rescue Department's operations centre to request additional support from the Jeli Fire and Rescue Station in Kelantan. 'We arrived at the scene at 2.05 am and only then did we see the true scale of the crash... it was massive and we clearly needed more assistance,' he said, adding the situation was chaotic – the area was dark and some members of the public could be seen trying to help the victims. The rescuers could also hear the cries of the injured echoing through the air. Admitting he was overcome with sorrow upon seeing the bodies of the deceased, with the food packed by their families scattered around them, Kamarul Ariffin said: 'It was heartbreaking… we're human too. But we had to set aside those feelings because we had work to do.' He said the first time he was involved in an emotionally challenging operation was during the search for victims of the 2004 tsunami. 'At that time, I was stationed in Penang. We were tasked with searching for victims in the sea and we found five bodies, all in incomplete condition.' HOSPITALS ON ALERT Meanwhile, at Hospital Gerik, located about an hour's drive from the June 9 crash site, its Emergency Department entered critical response mode as soon as news of the crash came in. Dr Muhammad Adam Muskhan, who led the emergency operations, said due to the scale of the accident, the hospital activated the Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) emergency code, with measures taken including adding beds in all three emergency zones – red, yellow and green. Dr Muhammad Adam Muskhan. 'Prior to that, we had also informed the Emergency Departments at Taiping Hospital and Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (Ipoh) so both could prepare to assist,' he told Bernama. According to Dr Muhammad Adam, they received initial information about the incident at around 1 am but the real challenge began at 3.18 am when the first casualty arrived. 'When the victims started arriving, we conducted triage before directing them to the appropriate treatment zones, with the red zone designated for critical cases,' he said, adding some victims were referred to nearby hospitals for further treatment. He also said although the accident occurred during a public holiday, when many staff members were on leave, all preparations were carried out swiftly and in an orderly manner. 'I was proud of our team's efficiency. I've dealt with several MCI situations with them before but this was the largest and most challenging as it required reinforcements and support from other agencies and external parties,' he added, noting that they were also assisted by personnel from Hospital Jeli and nearby government health clinics. Meanwhile, Civil Defence Force (APM) ambulance driver Corporal Mohd Zamri Taib, who was among those who ferried the Gerik crash casualties to the hospital, expressed gratitude for the training and simulation exercises he had undergone in the past. 'Although the conditions during training are never quite the same as a real-life situation, the knowledge and skills I gained during those sessions really helped me during the actual operation,' he said. He said on the way to the crash site, he had a feeling the accident was not an ordinary one as there were unusually few vehicles on the road. UPSI bus incident bring conscience to frontline staff. 'Usually, the East-West Highway is busy with traffic, especially during public holidays and festive seasons. But that early morning, hardly any vehicle passed by us. 'My three colleagues and I in the ambulance started wondering what the actual situation was at the scene. Even so, I was still taken aback when we arrived and saw the large number of victims,' he recalled. He and his team wasted no time and immediately began the task of extricating the injured from the scene and transporting them to the hospital after providing initial treatment. Making two trips from the crash site to Hospital Gerik, Mohd Zamri said in his 14 years of service with APM, this was the one incident that truly left a deep mark on him.
