07/07/2025

MONDAY | JULY 7, 2025 5 Octogenarian killed in car crash SEREMBAN: An 83-year-old woman was killed after the car she was travelling in skidded and crashed into a drain along Jalan Kampung Batu Bakar on Saturday. Jempol police chief Supt Norhisham Mustapar said the 3.15pm incident involved a Perodua Myvi driven by an 85-year-old man with two passengers. He said the car was travelling from Kampung Batu Bakar to Taman Acbe, Bahau, when the driver is believed to have lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road and crash into a nearby drain. “The woman, who was seated in the front passenger seat, suffered severe head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. “The driver and rear passenger, a 41-year old Indonesian woman, were taken to Kuala Pilah Hospital for treatment,” he said in a statement. He added that the case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. Meanwhile, in Kuantan, four individuals, including a child, were injured in a road crash involving a car and three motorcycles at a traffic light junction along Jalan Pintasan Bukit Setongkol on Saturday. Acting Kuantan district police chief Supt Mohd Adli Mat Daud said the crash was believed to have occurred when a Perodua Myvi, driven by a 29-year-old man from Tanjung Lumpur, rammed into the motorcycles as they were exiting the junction. “Initial investigation found that the car continued moving although the traffic light had turned red during the 8.45pm incident,” he said in a statement. Mohd Adli said the collision resulted in injuries to four individuals, including two women on the motorcycles and a male pillion rider, aged between eight and 32. The victims were taken to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital for treatment The case is being investigated under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless and dangerous driving. – Bernama KUANTAN: A member of the Armed Forces, who was reported missing while undergoing diving training at Kuantan Port on Thursday, was found drowned on Saturday. Acting Kuantan district police chief Supt Mohd Adli Mat Daud said the body of Cpl Mohd Haswansir Julnasir, 30, was found by a team of divers at 10am. “The victim’s body was found on a rocky cliff about 300m from the location of the incident,“ he said in a statement. Mohd Adli said on July 3, his department received a report at 3.19pm regarding a military personnel missing while undergoing training at the port. It is understood that the victim was one of four divers undergoing training with the special forces. The three-day search and rescue operation for the victim involved various agencies including the police, Special Operations Group, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Fire and Rescue Department. Meanwhile, an elderly man died after he was found unconscious after returning from a diving trip at Kampung Paya, Pulau Tioman in Rompin. Rompin district police chief Supt Sharif Shai Sharif Mondoi said the victim, Low Choon Foi, 72, was found on the beach by his friend at 7.40pm. He said the two had gone diving earlier at 6.30pm. “The victim’s friend sought assistance from the management of their accommodation to take Low to the Kampung Tekek health clinic, where he was confirmed dead by medical officers at 9.20pm,” he said in a statement yesterday, adding that the case has been classified as sudden death. – Bernama Missing soldier found drowned

Call for stricter oversight after Putra Heights blast

o Experts say hazards surrounding pipelines, including ground movement and nearby construction, must be factored into safety assessments

He added that vibrations from nearby roads and surrounding commercial activity may have added to the stress, especially if drainage systems were compromised. “If monsoon drains or culverts are damaged, water can seep into the subsoil and soften it, making it more prone to settlement. “These factors, combined with internal pipeline pressure, can eventually trigger failure.” Ramli also said the rupture may have caused mechanical sparks, igniting leaked gas. “To prevent this type of event, continuous monitoring is essential – not just of the pipeline, but of the surrounding geological environment. “Signs of ground movement or pressure shifts are often detectable with the right systems in place.” On June 30, authorities confirmed there was no evidence of sabotage or negligence linked to the Putra Heights explosion. Police have since classified the case as requiring no further action. Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) petroleum safety division director Husdin Che Amat said the likely cause was a combination of ground pressure, unstable soil and prolonged environmental stress. Following the incident, Petronas has identified other pipeline segments potentially exposed to similar risks. The company has been instructed to

Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newsdesk@thesundaily.com

complicates pipeline management.” Although the Putra Heights pipeline had undergone intelligent pigging – an internal inspection using robotic sensors – Libriati stressed that the technology is most effective when paired with on-ground inspections and a robust integrity management framework. “Technology can spot anomalies, but regular inspection and maintenance are still key. That’s how you build and maintain confidence in a pipeline’s safety.” She also pointed out that Malaysia has seen pipeline failures before – including along the Sabah–Sarawak gas pipeline – although such incidents often fly under the radar due to their remote locations or minimal public impact. “What happened in Putra Heights was different because it occurred in a residential area. It made the public more aware of the dangers when such systems fail.” UTM Centre for Tropical Geoengineering distinguished fellow Prof Dr Ramli Nazir said the findings point to a gradual buildup of stress over time, worsened by soil conditions and pressure from surrounding development. “The long-term effects of soil instability, groundwater buildup and poor drainage can weaken the ground’s ability to support infrastructure. “Over decades, such conditions can shift the pipe and create stress that leads to rupture.”

PETALING JAYA: The April 1 gas explosion in Putra Heights has raised alarm over the hidden dangers of underground infrastructure in urban areas, prompting experts to call for stricter soil monitoring, tighter pipeline inspections and stronger control over nearby development. The blast, which damaged more than 200 homes, was attributed to long-term soil subsidence and environmental stress. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Department of Structure and Materials senior lecturer Dr Libriati Zardasti said such incidents underscore the need to assess hazards not just within the pipeline itself, but also in its surrounding environment. “In risk assessment, hazard identification must include activities beyond the pipeline’s right-of-way (ROW) — such as construction, land use changes and environmental conditions that affect soil stability.” She noted that pipeline safety guidelines mandate buffer zones free of permanent structures and large trees, which can exert pressure on buried pipes. The ROW areas, she added, are essential for safe monitoring and emergency access. “Any construction within the corridors must go through proper approval processes to avoid introducing new risks. “When ROWs are encroached upon, it SUNGAI PETANI: Police have shot dead a man believed to be involved in a series of armed robberies, just a day after two other suspects were killed in a shootout in Jitra. The 34-year-old suspect was shot during a similar shootout with police at 7.50pm on Saturday in Bandar Puteri Jaya, according to acting director of the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Datuk Fadil Marsus. “This was a special operation led by Bukit Aman CID in collaboration with several police state contingents and branches. “We encountered an individual believed to be part of a gang involved in a series of armed robberies across several states. Attempts were made to arrest him, but he resisted and a shootout ensued, leading to his death,” he told reporters at the scene. A pistol and several other items were recovered from the suspect, who had more than 30 prior criminal offences. Fadil said police believe the suspect was also a key member of an organised crime group, comprising over a dozen members, responsible for a string of armed robberies, gangsterism and drug trafficking dating back to 2022, which caused losses estimated at nearly RM6 million. “Our investigations indicate this suspect was also involved in three recent armed robberies in Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Perak,” he added. Fadil emphasised that police would continue to act aggressively to apprehend individuals involved in violent crimes, especially those involving firearms. The case is being investigated under

implement both immediate and long-term safety measures, with DOSH working alongside Petronas to

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coordinate remedial steps and strengthen pipeline safety nationwide. Armed robbery suspect killed in police shootout

A police forensic team collecting evidence at the scene of the shootout. – BERNAMAPIC Section 307 of the Penal Code.

“A search was conducted at the premises, and we seized a pistol. The remand order is effective from today until July 12.” On Saturday, two other suspected criminals were shot dead by police in a shootout near the North-South Expressway exit near Bandar Darul Aman in Jitra. – Bernama

Meanwhile, Kuala Muda police chief ACP Hanyan Ramlan said the wife of the suspect has been remanded for seven days to assist in the investigation. He said the woman, in her 20s, was arrested at the couple’s rented home nearby.