KUALA LUMPUR: The chartered bus tragedy that claimed the lives of 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students has elicited an outpouring of grief on social media from Cabinet members and people from all walks of life.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek extended her condolences to the families of the victims and prayed that they be granted strength and resilience in facing this devastating tragedy.
“Let us all pray that the souls of those who perished are forgiven, granted honour, and placed among His righteous and faithful servants,” she said in a Facebook post.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar described the deaths of the victims as not only a loss to their families but also to the entire ummah.
“I was devastated to learn that victims were students returning to UPSI after the Aidiladha break. They were the fi sabilillah, seekers of knowledge for the sake of Allah,” he said.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang, and Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu also extended their condolences on their respective official social media accounts.
Meanwhile, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan expressed hope that the injured and surviving victims would have a speedy recovery.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those affected by this incident. May they be granted the strength and resilience they need during this challenging time. To the students still receiving treatment, I pray that everything goes smoothly for you,” he said.
Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail expressed sympathy to the victims’ families on Facebook.
“May the families of the victims be granted strength and perseverance in facing this tremendous trial. To those who are still receiving treatment, I pray for a swift and complete recovery,” he said.
The Office of the Perak State Secretary also extended its condolences and prayed that the souls of the victims be blessed with Allah SWT’s mercy.
Meanwhile, checks on X (formerly Twitter) found that the majority of users poured out messages of grief and sympathy over the painful ordeal, with ‘UPSI’ and the hashtag ‘#UPSIberduka’ trending on the platform.
“Allahuakbar... it’s heartbreaking to read about the UPSI students who were involved in the accident and lost their lives. They were their families’ hope for a degree. May their loved ones find strength to endure this sorrowful and painful time,” wrote user @ing_naJ.
Another user of the app, @DaliliAziz, said: “Innalillahiwainnailaihirojiuun... My heart aches as I read this news because it could have been me on that bus, on that road, at the exact time... I often travel by night bus. May the deceased be granted forgiveness and placed among the righteous... Amin.”
Perak police chief Datuk Noor Hisam Nordin confirmed that 15 UPSI students were killed in the crash, which involved the bus and a multi-purpose vehicle on the East-West Highway in Banun, near Tasik Banding, approximately 57 kilometres from Gerik, Perak.
