Four die in express bus crash
P. Chandra Sagaran
IPOH, Aug 15:
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Two foreign women were among four people killed early
today when the express bus they were in crashed into a
divider at Km256.9 of the North-South Expressway near
here.
The bus driver has been detained by police.
Suhair Hasan Ali, 27, a first-year student from Sudan
pursuing a pharmaceutical course at Universiti Sains
Malaysia, and Indonesian Ramayani Rachman, 29, a maid
from Medan, died in the accident which occurred at
3.10am.
The other two who died are Sulaiman Abdullah @ Yeoh
Gim Hoe, 71, from Kuala Lumpur, and Tiang Bik Hun, 25,
from Sitiawan.
All four died on the spot. Their bodies have been sent
to the Kuala Kangsar Hospital for post-mortem.
The four were among 29 passengers who were on their
way to Penang.
Eight were admitted to the Ipoh Hospital while 17
received outpatient treatment.
Ramayani's husband Nor Rokhim, 38, was among those
admitted to the hospital together with Sudanese Awad
Salam Musa Adan, 30, also a USM student, and his son,
Anegara Suhib, two-and-half years old. Awad's wife
Elham Sayed Khairi, 30, sustained minor injuries.
Another Sudanese woman, known only as Shaza, in her
20s, is also in the hospital.
Meanwhile, Elham, who received outpatient treatment,
said the bus swayed between the two north-bound lanes
before crashing.
Another victim Lim Khuan Wei, 32, said he felt that
the bus was "floating and tilting" before it hit the
railings.
"The next thing I knew I was in the hospital bed with
a fractured leg and bruises on my face," said the
former employee of the Guang MingDaily.
The bus belonged to Konsortium Bas Ekspress
Semenanjung.
Perak Public Order and ! Traffic chief Superintendent
Hamza Taib said the 45-year-old driver of the bus
sustained minor injuries and had been detained for
investigation.
"We are investigating whether the driver has past
convictions or was booked for traffic offences." He
said the north-bound bus was travelling from Kuala
Lumpur to Penang when the driver lost control of the
vehicle and hit the railing to the left of the
expressway before crashing into the divider.