11/06/2025

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 11, 2025

3 Call to address safety issues on highland roads

Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newsdesk@thesundaily.com

o Many design features – tight curves, narrow lanes, steep slopes, limited climbing zones and no median separation – on East-West Highway outdated : Expert

with action often taken only after disasters. Beyond infrastructure, Fauzan highlighted the need for driver readiness and vehicle safety. “Mechanical failures, especially brake issues on downhill sections, can be fatal. Commercial drivers need proper training, rest and regular evaluations.” He added that technology could significantly boost safety. “Intelligent Transport Systems such as smart sensors, solar powered beacons and real-time traffic and weather alerts can help prevent crashes.” Fauzan also cited local innovation in road materials as a potential game changer. “Plastic-modified asphalt, developed by UPM and Petronas Research, improves grip and durability on steep, wet roads.” He urged stricter rules for night time commercial vehicle travel and mandatory inspections before long haul journeys. “This tragedy must serve as a painful but urgent wake-up call. Improved road safety isn’t just necessary, it’s long overdue. “Let us honour the victims by ensuring such a disaster is never repeated.”

PETALING JAYA: The tragic bus crash on the East-West Highway on June 9 is probably an outcome of long-standing, unresolved safety issues on Malaysia’s highland roads, said Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) civil engineering expert Assoc Prof Dr Fauzan Mohd Jakarni. He said the highway, built in the early 1980s, was never designed for today’s traffic volume, heavier vehicles and high speeds. “Many design features – tight curves, narrow lanes, steep slopes, limited climbing zones and no median separation – are outdated. “Modern vehicle sizes, speeds and loads exceed what the original design can safely handle.” Fauzan, who heads UPM’s Department of Civil Engineering, said the Gerik-Jeli route, which winds through forested highlands, is known for sharp bends, limited overtaking zones and sudden weather shifts. These natural hazards are worsened by ageing infrastructure and a lack of key safety features such as escape ramps, guardrails and emergency lay-bys. “Certain segments have steep

Driver of bus in accident had 18 traffic summonses PETALING JAYA: Police have confirmed that the bus driver involved in the tragic accident, which claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Upsi) students in Gerik on Monday, had a record of 18 traffic summonses. Federal Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri told an English daily that a review of the driver’s history revealed that 13 of the summonses were for speeding offences. The report said others included an accident-related summons, three for failing to wear a seatbelt and one for a defective third brake light. It added that further investigations uncovered an additional 21 traffic summonses associated with the vehicle, with five still under investigation and the remaining reportedly resolved in court. The bus was carrying 42 Upsi students from Jertih, Terengganu to their university campus in Tanjung Malim when it collided with a Perodua Alza on the East-West Highway. Thirteen students died at the scene, while two others were pronounced dead upon arrival at the Ipoh hospital. Another 28 students sustained injuries of varying severity. The bus driver, Mohd Amirul Fadhil Zulkifle, who is currently receiving treatment at Taiping Hospital, has reportedly extended an apology to the families of the victims and the injured students. He attributed the crash to a sudden and unexpected failure of the vehicle’s brakes, adding that the air system also malfunctioned. Meanwhile, Bernama reported that a dashboard camera video lasting over 40 seconds which has been widely circulated on social media, captured the harrowing moments when the bus was seen overtaking another vehicle before losing control and veering off to the left side of the road. The video has become a crucial piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation. Perak Police chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin confirmed that the authorities had received the video, and would soon record a statement from its owner as part of a comprehensive probe into the cause of the crash. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health urged public transport operators and drivers to adopt occupational safety and health measures not only to ensure the safety of employees but also of passengers.

areas also contributes to dangerous deformations.” To reduce risks, Fauzan urged upgrades to the highway’s most hazardous stretches, ideally converting them into dual carriageways. “This would separate traffic flows and reduce head-on collisions. “But upgrades must be carefully planned, factoring in slope stability, drainage, environmental impact, wildlife crossings and better lighting and signage.” He also called for climate responsive maintenance, including quarterly inspections, especially before and after the monsoon, along with annual skid resistance testing and routine slope, drainage and vegetation checks. He said the frequency of highland accidents suggests a reactive approach to maintenance,

gradients, poor night visibility, tight corners and inadequate signage. “These design limitations, combined with unpredictable weather, cut driver reaction time and raise accident risk, especially for buses and lorries.” The crash, involving a bus and a multi-purpose vehicle, killed 15 university students and injured several others, making it one of the worst in recent memory on a highway long deemed high-risk. Fauzan believes poor maintenance is a major factor behind such tragedies. “The road likely suffers from pavement issues like fatigue cracking, rutting, edge failure and shoulder erosion, especially along bends and slopes. “Decades of heavy traffic, rain and slope movement have polished the surfaces, reducing skid resistance. Instability in cut-and-fill

The risk of highway accidents can be reduced with proper upgrades, climate responsive maintenance and innovative road materials. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN

Last victim of bus tragedy laid to rest JERTIH: The remains of Upsi student Nurul Fatihah Abu Setaman, who died in the bus crash were laid to rest yesterday morning. Kampung Gong Duek, following the initial prayer alongside 12 of her fellow Upsi students at Masjid Hadhari, reported Bernama.

20, and Sufea Adela Maslihaizan, 21, were buried at the Kampung Pasir Akar Muslim Cemetery and the Kampung Gong Penaga Muslim Cemetery, respectively. The remains arrived from the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh to Masjid Hadhari for prayers. They were then transported to their respective hometowns for burial.

The atmosphere at Masjid Hadhari was filled with grief and sorrow, with sobbing heard from family members. Another victim, Wan Nur Suhaila was buried at the Kampung Amer Muslim Cemetery in Kampung Raja, Besut, while Muhammad Adib was buried at the Kampung Pasir Badak Muslim Cemetery in Hulu Besut.

Nurul Fatihah, 22, the last of the 15 victims, was buried at 10.39am at the Kampung Gong Duek Muslim cemetery. Earlier, a second funeral prayer was held for her at her family home in

Nurul Fatihah, the fourth of six siblings, died at the scene of the crash. Meanwhile, the remains of Fatin Nasrien Fadil, 22, were buried at the Kampung Kerandang Cemetery. The remains of Fakhrul Arif Rosdi,