BATU PAHAT: A tour bus transporting 45 Indonesian plantation workers was involved in a serious accident at Kilometer 80.7 of the North-South Expressway near Ayer Hitam early this morning. The workers had just arrived from Lombok, Indonesia, and were en route to Johor Bahru when the collision occurred.
According to Jati Heri Winarto, Consul of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Johor Bahru, the group consisted of 55 workers who landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport around 9 pm. While 10 workers took a van, the remaining 45 boarded the ill-fated bus.
The accident, which also involved two lorries, resulted in two fatalities. The victims were identified as Hidirman, 43, and Zulhadi, 44, who died at the scene. Another worker, Nusiah, suffered severe injuries, including the loss of her left hand and fractured ribs, and remains under treatment at Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital.
Fourteen other workers sustained minor injuries and were discharged after receiving medical attention. Firefighters confirmed that the crash occurred around 12:27 am, leaving two dead and 16 injured.
Jati Heri stated that the Indonesian Consulate is coordinating the repatriation of the deceased and seeking compensation through the Social Security Organisation. Meanwhile, Batu Pahat District Police Chief ACP Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani explained that the bus collided with a tanker lorry being towed by another lorry.
The bus driver suffered shoulder, rib, and hand injuries, while five passengers reported head pain. The drivers of the lorries and other passengers escaped unharmed. Authorities are investigating the case under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. - Bernama
