Vacation turned tragedy for family in Muar bus crash
Three S'porean women buried as M'sian authorities investigate Muar bus crash
What was to be a joyous family vacation turned into tragedy.
Madam Hamimah Mammu, 42, had planned the trip to Kuala Lumpur with her husband Mohamed Syed and their two teenage children.
She had posted on Facebook three pictures of them together just before they set off on Friday evening.
"All set and ready to go for our short vacation before school reopens," she said in a caption.
But hours later, at 4am on Christmas Eve, their bus went off the North-South Expressway and crashed into a ravine, killing Madam Hamimah and leaving her three family members badly injured.
The accident occurred at Kampung Jayo, Jalan Kangkar-Senangar, Pagoh, near Muar.
The Alisan Golden Coach bus involved was en route to Kuala Lumpur's Bandar Tasik Selatan Integrated Bus Terminal.
The horrific crash - the worst involving buses since the 2013 accident in which 37 people died - killed two other Singaporeans and one Singapore permanent resident.
Six other Singaporeans who were injured were discharged from a Muar hospital and returned to Singapore by yesterday morning.
The total death toll is 14, including the 32-year-old bus driver Zakeer Zubir and his baby daughter, with 16 injured.
She was the youngest fatality.
Mr Zakeer's relative, Mr Syahril Redzwan, a lawyer, said Mr Zakeer had been driving for nine hours, departing from Penang at 2pm on Friday and arriving in Johor Baru at 11pm.
"He had only three hours' rest before driving again at 2am," he told reporters.
Yesterday, Madam Hamimah was buried side by side with the two other Singaporean victims - Madam Faridah Tamron, 63, and her daughter, Ms Nur Hazimah Mustafa, 21 - at the Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery, reported The Straits Times.
The mother and daughter were travelling with their husbands, Mr Mustafa Yasin, 63, and Mr Muhammad Fitri, 23.
Both men survived but suffered fractures.
Among those who turned up for Madam Hamimah's funeral were her two other sons, aged 21 and 23, who were not on the bus.
HOSPITAL
The two were at the Sultanah Fatimah hospital in Muar on Saturday evening but declined to speak to the media.
Their siblings - Muhammad Hilmi, 16, who had suffered injuries to his spine, arm and leg, and Alifah Aliana Mohd Said, 13 - were transferred to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, where they are now recovering, said media reports.
Their uncle from Kota Tinggi, businessman Yusof Sabda, 54, who was at the Muar hospital on Saturday, told The Straits Times: "We were very close. I am sad this happened."
The fourth victim from Singapore who died in the crash is permanent resident Au Poi Kiew, who is from Seremban.
Muar police are investigating the crash.
President Tony Tan Keng Yam, in a Facebook post on Saturday evening, said he and his wife Mary were deeply saddened by the crash and their thoughts and prayers are with the affected families.
"The accident was especially tragic given that it happened on Christmas Eve, and many of those affected were on their way to celebrate the festive season with their loved ones in Kuala Lumpur," he said.
VICTIMS
DEAD:
- Faridah Tamron (Singapore)
- Nur Hazimah Mustafa (Singapore)
- Hamimah Mammu (Singapore)
- Au Poi Kiew (Singapore PR)
9 Malaysians, one Indian
INJURED:
- Muhammad Hilmi (Singapore)
- Mustafa Yasin (Singapore)
- Mohd Syed (Singapore)
- Alifah Aliana Mohd Said (Singapore)
- Govinda Raj (Singapore)
- Muhammad Fitri (Singapore)
7 Malaysians, two Myanmar people and one unidentified woman
Source: Bernama News Agency
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