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THE fatal crash that claimed the lives of nine members of Malaysia’s Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) has sparked an outpouring of grief and a growing demand for authorities to address long-standing infrastructure and traffic management flaws, particularly on rural roads.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when a police transport truck carrying FRU personnel collided with a gravel-laden lorry on the narrow Jalan Chikus–Sungai Lampam stretch. Eight officers died at the scene, with a ninth succumbing to injuries later at Hospital Teluk Intan.
Three officers remain in critical condition and unconscious in the hospital’s intensive care unit. They have been identified as Corporal Haslizal Mohd Ali, 44; Sergeant Mazlan Mat, 50; and Corporal Mohd Izwan Ishak, 39.
Four other injured officers are conscious and recovering at the same hospital. They are Corporal Mohammad Zulnaidi Muhammad Zulkifli, 34; Lance Corporal Muhammad Aniq Taufiq Rozi, 26; Corporal Mohd Harrisul Ikhsan Mohd Mahabudin, 39; and Sergeant Mohd Parih Ali, 44.
Police have confirmed that the 45-year-old lorry driver involved in the crash has been remanded for four days under Section 41 of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a sentence of five to ten years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM50,000, and a driving ban of no less than five years upon conviction.
Hilir Perak District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin said the remand was granted by Magistrate Naidatul Athirah Azman at the Teluk Intan Magistrates' Court.
Urgent Infrastructure and Safety Overhaul Needed
Chairman of the Sungai Lampam Kanan Federal Village Development and Security Committee (JPKKP), Mohammed Nadzri Mat Taib, said the crash site has long posed a high risk due to its narrow width and lack of traffic signals.
“This route is frequently used by heavy vehicles transporting sand and stones. The road conditions are already inadequate, and this only adds to the danger,” he said.
He called for an immediate reassessment of the road’s infrastructure and safety features by local authorities and the Public Works Department (JKR), stressing that responsibility should not rest solely with the lorry driver.
A comprehensive investigation should extend beyond individual fault, Mohammed Nadzri said, and include the safety design of the road and the systemic lapses that permitted such a tragedy.
Authorities are also being urged to introduce tighter regulations and monitoring of heavy vehicle traffic on rural or narrow roads that are not structurally designed to support such loads.
“It is no longer sufficient to penalise individual negligence. This incident demands a holistic response to identify and rectify the systemic weaknesses that allowed it to happen,” he said.
As the nation mourns the fallen officers, there is growing consensus that the tragedy must serve as a catalyst for far-reaching reforms—both in infrastructure planning and enforcement of traffic laws—to ensure the safety of those who serve, and the public at large.
Yesterday, Government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil announced that the Ministry of Transport (MOT) has been given one month to submit a report on the findings of a special task force investigating the fatal crash involving members of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU).
The report will be presented to the Cabinet before any further action is taken.
“At today’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the Transport Minister Anthony Loke informed us that the task force will examine non-criminal aspects of the incident, including matters relating to vehicle safety, which fall under the ministry’s purview,” Fahmi said during his weekly post-Cabinet press conference on Wednesday.
Earlier, Loke had explained that the task force comprises safety experts and independent representatives tasked with identifying the causes of the crash and recommending improvements to road safety, especially concerning heavy vehicles. - May 15, 2025
