Families of victims claim ill-fated bus not the one promised by bus company

BALING: Families of the seven victims who were killed when a tourist bus skidded and overturned at KM38 Genting Sempah Friday, claimed that the ill-fated bus was not the one promised by the bus company.

Family members when met in Kampung Baru, Mukim Siong were disappointed with the bus company for failing to keep their promise to provide a bus that was in good condition.

Mustaffa Ibrahim, 60, said the family accepted the destiny of his child, Mohd Fahmi, 17, because it was fated but expressed disappointment after realising that the bus company which had promised a good-conditioned bus had replaced it with one that was not in good condition.

“They were promised a bus that was good but we only realised that it was not the bus the company provided for the tour,” he said when met in his house here yesterday.

During the tragic incident at 7.50pm Friday, a tour bus with 44 youth members of the 4B movement, aged 14-25, from Kampung Baru Siong were on an educational trip when the bus was involved in an accident when descending Genting Highlands.

Seven of them were killed while 20 others injured when the bus skidded and overturned at Km38 Genting Sempah.

Those killed were Mohd Zaidi Mohd Sufian, 28, a religious teacher, Mohammad Amirul Mohamat Isa, 13, Mohamad Khairy Mohamad Marzali, 14, Mohamad Yussof Akhil, 16, Mohamed Firdaus Rosedi, 16, Mohd Fahmi Mustaffa, 17, and Mohd Ridzuan Husin, 17.

Mustaffa, an Imam in a local mosque, said all seven who died were related to each other and urged the authorities to enforce strict measures to ensure such incidents do not recur.

Husin Hamid, 54, the father of Mohd Ridzuan who was also killed, said those responsible for the accident must be dealt with by the authorities.

Meanwhile, Baling Umno division secretary Abdullah Sani Mahmud said the Youth and Sports Department would handle matters related to bringing the bodies of the dead to Baling. — Bernama