GUA MUSANG, Malaysia: Ten people were killed and a baby seriously injured in a three-car accident involving a Perodua Kenari, a Perodua Kancil and a Nissan Murano four-wheel drive.
Those killed were all five people in the Kenari and five of six people in the Kancil. The four people in the four-wheel drive escaped with minor injuries.
In the pile-up at the 21st kilometre of Jalan Kuala Krai-Gua Musang at 10.30am yesterday, the Kancil heading for Kuala Krai from here, is believed to have collided head-on with the Murano before the Kenari crashed into the Kancil.
The wrecked Perodua Kenari
The deaths came as a stark reminder of the country's newest traffic law, the rear seat belt ruling that came into force two days ago. None of the rear passengers in either car were buckled up, police said.
Gua Musang Fire and Rescue Department chief Rosli Che Sulaiman confirmed that only the drivers of the Kancil and Kenari had their seat belts on.
He said rescue personnel had to cut the seat belts of the drivers to remove their bodies.
The deceased were identified as Haliza Md Zain, 33, the driver of the Kancil, her sister Maziatul Shamila, and three of her children Mohd Rahiza Yuswa Abdul Rahim, 12, Norashidah, 10, and six-year-old Shaha.
Haliza's fourth child, one-year-old Noraihah Nabila was seriously injured and has been admitted to Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital.
The five victims in the Kenari were driver Lau Sin Eik, 59, Lee Bee Seng, 50, Lau Chai Soon, 78, Ho Kin Hum, 86, and 18-year-old Shareen Lau Ming Min.
Phua Thein Noo, 28, drove the Murano while his passengers were Tan Chee Hua, 44, Wong Kee Hooi, 20, and 33-year-old Lau Soon Lee.
Gua Musang OCPD Supt Ahmad Termizi Abd Haq said police had detained Phua for questioning.
"Preliminary police investigations showed that the Kancil driver may have wanted to overtake another vehicle when the collision happened.
"Almost all the victims died on the spot except for the six-year-old child who died on the way to Gua Musang Hospital," he told reporters.
Supt Ahmad Termizi said some of the victims were trapped in their vehicles while some were thrown out.
He said Fire and Rescue Department personnel took at least 40 minutes to extricate the bodies.
All the bodies were taken to Gua Musang Hospital for a post-mortem.
