IPOH: Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad announced that the state government would present RM1,000 to each family of the Gerik bus crash victims.
Speaking to reporters at the Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun’s mortuary, here, this afternoon, Saarani also said Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) will organise a counselling session for the victims’ family members .
He also noted UPSI would organise counselling sessions for the family members and expressed hope that the injured will recover soon.
Also present with Saarani, were Perak Human Resources, Health, National Integration and Indian Affairs Committee chairman A. Sivanesan as well as other state government officials.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the hospital’s mortuary was a sombre affair as family members of the victims were seen consoling each other following the tragic accident which reportedly claimed 15 lives in Gerik, early this morning.
READ ALSO: Gerik crash: 15 killed in bus crash involving UPSI students in Gerik
It is learnt that the post mortem is currently underway on the remains of 13 UPSI students before being released to their respective family members..
Two other bodies are the Gerik Hospital’s mortuary.
The fatal crash occurred at 1.10am at KM53 of the East-West Highway (JRTB) near Tasik Banding in Gerik, involving a chartered bus transporting UPSI students back to their campus in Tanjung Malim, and a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that was traveling in the same direction, from Jeli, Kelantan to Gerik.
According to reports, the crash occurred when the bus rear-ended the Alza, causing the bus to overturn and the MPV to veer into a roadside ditch.
A total of 48 victims were accounted for, including 13 who perished at the scene and were taken to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) in Ipoh, and two others who succumbed to their injuries at Gerik Hospital.