A catastrophic collision between a university bus and a minivan in northern Malaysia has left at least 15 people dead and 31 others injured, marking the country’s deadliest road accident in over a decade. The tragedy occurred on Monday along the perilous East-West Highway near the town of Gerik, close to the Thailand border.
The bus, carrying students from Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), was en route from Jerteh, Terengganu, to the university’s main campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak, when it collided with a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). According to Perak State Police Chief Hisam Nordin, the bus appeared to have lost control and struck the minivan from behind, causing the bus to overturn and the minivan to skid into a ditch.
Emergency services were alerted at approximately with responders arriving to a chaotic scene of wreckage and trapped victims. Thirteen people, including 14 students and one bus attendant, were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Among the injured, seven remain in critical condition, with victims suffering from broken limbs, head injuries, and other trauma. Hydraulic cutters were used to extract some individuals trapped in the overturned bus.
The East-West Highway, a vital link connecting Malaysia’s east and west coasts, is notorious for its treacherous conditions, with frequent accidents attributed to sharp bends, poor lighting, and collisions with wildlife. Malaysia’s worst bus disaster prior to this occurred in 2013, when an express bus plunged into a ravine near Kuala Lumpur, killing 37.
Preliminary investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash, with authorities examining potential human negligence or technical issues.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed profound grief over the tragedy, urging caution on the roads. “Heartbreaking disasters like these that are repeated often should be a lesson to all to be careful and not to rush,” he wrote on Facebook. “Your lives are too precious and can’t be replaced.” The Higher Education Ministry, led by Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir, has pledged full support to the victims’ families, with UPSI also assisting authorities and affected families.
This tragedy has reignited concerns about road safety in Malaysia, where an average of 18 people die daily in traffic accidents, according to government figures. The incident underscores the urgent need for improved safety measures on hazardous routes like the East-West Highway.
