12/01/2026

MONDAY | JAN 12, 2026

5

Express bus passenger dies in three-vehicle crash

Form Three student killed in collision KUALA TERENGGANU: A Form Three student of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Padang Midin did not get the chance to begin the first day of the new school term after he was involved in a road crash in Jalan Kepong yesterday morning. Kuala Terengganu police chief ACP Azli Mohd Noor said the male student, Noor Hazimi Noor Hashim, died at the scene after sustaining severe injuries in the incident. Azli said preliminary investigations found that the incident occurred when the motorcycle the victim was riding from the direction of the Pengadang Baru Caltex petrol station, was struck by a car travelling from Kampung Serada towards Titian Baru in Tepoh, Kuala Nerus. “Police received a call at 7.55am from a bystander, reporting a crash in Jalan Kepong, Kuala Terengganu. Initial findings indicate the victim’s motorcycle was hit by the car coming from the opposite direction. “Noor Hazimi was killed at the scene, while the driver of the car did not sustain any injuries,” he said in a statement yesterday. The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. The victim’s father, Noor Hashim Puteh, 55, said at the time of the incident, his son was on his way home to Kampung Belukar Sukai after refuelling at a petrol station about 5km away, Bernama reported. His son was to pick up his 14-year-old sister at home before riding to school together. ‘No tiger presence in Proton City’ IPOH: Investigations by the Perak Department of Wildlife and National Parks found no tiger tracks in the Proton City residential area in Tanjong Malim, contrary to a widely shared video claiming to feature tiger roars in the area. Perak department director Yusoff Shariff said reports from personnel despatched to the location confirmed that the claims made in the video were unfounded. He warned that the department would not hesitate to lodge a police report against irresponsible individuals who upload fake videos alleging the presence of wild animals, especially in populated areas. “For us, matters like this should not occur and are not something to be treated as a joke. Such actions not only cause public anxiety but also disrupt efforts by the authorities in managing wildlife issues,” he said when contacted yesterday. On Saturday, a 15-second video was shared on social media, featuring sounds resembling that of a tiger’s roar, allegedly recorded in a forested area near a secondary school and a residential area in Proton City, Tanjong Malim. – Bernama

PETALING JAYA: A passenger has died following a collision yesterday involving an express bus, a bonded lorry and a motorcycle on the North-South Expressway (southbound) near Km441.2 between Sungai Buaya and Rawang. The victim was among 15 people injured in the crash, including several who were seriously hurt. The passenger died while receiving treatment at the Sungai Buloh Hospital. Gombak police chief assistant Commissioner Noor Ariffin Mohamad Nasir said: “A lorry driver, motorcyclist and seven other bus passengers sustained serious injuries and are currently being treated at the same hospital. “The bus driver did not suffer any injuries and the case is being investigated under o Others seriously injured include lorry driver, motorcyclist and seven commuters, says Gombak police chief Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“The victim was still alive when handed to Health Ministry staff but was in critical condition with severe injuries to both legs, raising concerns about the risk of limb loss.” Firefighters were unable to determine the sequence of impact at the scene due to limited visual evidence. “We could not confirm which vehicle hit the other, and there was no clear recording of the incident,” he said. “The fire department focuses on rescue operations. The investigation into the cause of the accident is handled by police.” Ahmad Mukhlis also said the lorry cargo could not be identified as securing the scene and rescuing trapped victims took priority. The Malaysian Highway Authority, via X, reported that the right and middle northbound lanes were closed, causing southbound congestion stretching up to 5km, while northbound traffic moved slowly for about three kilometres. The crash adds to the nationwide tally of road accidents. Statistics from the Police Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department on Facebook showed 1,859 crashes recorded as of Jan 10, up from 1,776 cases on Jan 9. Fatalities fell to nine from 15 the previous day. The Sungai Buloh Hospital and the Gombak district police traffic unit had yet to release official statements on the accident at press time.

Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act.” He said the incident is believed to have been caused when the bus driver, travelling in the right lane, lost control of the bus, causing it to skid and hit a divider, leaving it stranded across the highway. “A bonded lorry and a motorcycle approaching from the same direction could not avoid it and struck the left side of the bus,” he added. Earlier, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said an emergency call was received at 5.24am and fire engines from the Rawang Fire and Rescue station were despatched, arriving at the scene at 5.51am. “Upon arrival, it was found that the collison involved an express bus with two drivers carrying 40 passengers, a lorry and a motorcycle. “Thirty-eight passengers managed to exit safely, while four victims were trapped inside the bus,” he said, adding that the lorry driver was also trapped in his vehicle. Ahmad Mukhlis told theSun that rescuers faced difficulties freeing a critically injured passenger whose legs were pinned under a road divider. “The rescue operation took about three hours due to the confined space and the need to cut the metal divider,” he said, adding that the victim was freed at 8.53am.

A firefighter using a metal cutter to free a trapped passenger.

Organisers urged to cancel ‘glamping’ event

Ű BY THE SUN TEAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

to request an investigation and appropriate action. Despite objections from Selangor PAS, the pro-LGBTQ+ group organising the event confirmed it would proceed on Jan 17 and 18 in Hulu Langat. The NGO behind the event, Jejaka, described it as a private, community-based retreat focused on wellbeing, peer support and health awareness. “It involves lawful camping activities at a registered venue and does not violate any Malaysian law. Camping, gatherings and community education are legal activities in the country,” the organisation said in a statement.

focus on fostering spirituality, strengthening community ties and upholding moral values. On Jan 10, the Selangor government called on authorities to investigate the upcoming Glamping with Pride event, scheduled for next week. State Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Committee chairman Mohd Najwan Halimi said the government would not tolerate efforts to spread or promote LGBTQ+ culture. “The state government will not compromise on any attempts to promote deviant values that go against societal norms,” he said, adding that he had contacted police

“Authorities and recreational venue operators need to be more vigilant and strict in screening any activities that attempt to normalise practices contrary to existing syariah laws,” he said. The public should refrain from supporting or participating in events that could harm faith and morals and actively oppose wrongdoing within their capacity, he added. He said while those promoting such events should face strict legal action, the door to repentance remains open for anyone wishing to return to the right path. He also recommended that recreational activities for Muslims

recreational activity but it attempts to promote acts that are prohibited by Allah SWT,” he said. The mufti highlighted Islamic teachings emphasising the preservation of morality, family structure and the natural order of male and female relationships. He cited Quranic verses recounting the story of Prophet Lut, warning against immoral acts as well as a Hadith condemning the open practice of sin. He stressed that in Malaysia, where Islam holds a special position under the Federal Constitution, public event must respect religious sensitivities, laws and local cultural norms.

PETALING JAYA: The Federal Territories mufti has urged organisers of the controversial Glamping with Pride event to cancel it, saying it promotes lifestyles and practices that contravene Islamic teachings. In a statement, Ustaz Ahmad Fauwaz Fadzil said the event, which combines outdoor glamping activities with elements associated with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) community, risks normalising behaviour considered sinful in Islam. “The event may appear as a