3 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
RM10,000 aid for families of UPSI bus crash victims
Government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has instructed the Attorney-General's Chambers to review insurance matters to assist the victims' families.
KUALA LUMPUR : The families of the 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students who died in the bus crash in Gerik will receive an additional RM10,000 in aid, says government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil.
The 15 were killed and 33 others injured when the bus they were on overturned after colliding with a car early Monday morning on the East-West Highway while returning from Jertih to the UPSI campus in Tanjung Malim.
'The Cabinet today agreed to provide an additional RM10,000 in aid to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident.
'Those who were injured will receive RM5,000,' Fahmi, who is also the communications minister, said at his weekly press conference today.
He said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had instructed the Attorney-General's Chambers to review insurance matters to assist the victims' families.
Fahmi also said higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir had confirmed that the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans of the deceased students would be waived.
In a Facebook post earlier, Zambry said of the 15 students who died in the accident, 13 had been identified as PTPTN loan borrowers.
All 13 would benefit from the full settlement of their education loan debts, he said, adding that each of their families would also receive death benefit of RM1,500.
Previously, Zambry said the ministry's Yayasan Perkasa Siswa would channel RM2,000 in funeral aid to the families, and RM1,000 in disaster relief to each injured student.
The women, family and community development ministry has said it would provide RM1,000 in aid to 10 students from UPSI warded at the intensive care units in two hospitals in Perak, while the Terengganu government would provide RM3,000 in aid to the families of the 15 students who died.
