KUALA LUMPUR: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) is providing an opportunity for counselling students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) to support their peers who were affected by the recent fatal bus crash in Gerik, Perak.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said many of the injured victims currently receiving treatment in hospital appeared more comfortable speaking with counsellors their age, compared to those provided by the ministry.
“We have our counsellors on standby, but I was informed that some students are pursuing counselling studies. So, we are giving them the opportunity to apply their learning by supporting their peers.
“Sometimes, victims may not open up to others, but they talk when it is a friend. This is the feedback we received from our staff: that the victims are more open to fellow students.
“This is a new experience for us, seeing how those who are not yet full-fledged counsellors can still offer support and encouragement to their friends,” she told a press conference after launching the Women GIG and Business In Technology (GIG@BIT) programme here today.
Nancy added that she and Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad would visit the families of victims who perished in the tragedy to extend condolences and provide further assistance.
“We agreed yesterday that counselling should be made available to each family at any time, based on their readiness. We do not want to disrupt their emotions, but we want to provide support in a compassionate manner,” she said.
In the incident early Monday morning, 15 UPSI students were killed when the bus they were travelling in overturned at KM53 of the East-West Highway, near Tasik Banding, Gerik. The crash also left 33 people injured.
The chartered bus had departed from Jertih, Terengganu at 9 pm on Sunday and was heading to the university’s campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak when the accident occurred.
