PUTRAJAYA, May 13 — The federal government has insisted today that the logistics company behind the lorry that caused the crash in Teluk Intan, Perak that killed nine Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel must be held accountable.
Acknowledging the tragedy, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the fatal collision would never have taken place if the stone-laden lorry had underwent rigorous vehicle inspections such as the one performed by Puspakom.
“For that, we should not just hold the lorry driver responsible, but also the company owning the lorry must be held accountable as well,” he said in a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Department here.
This comes as Hilir Perak district police chief ACP Bakri Zainal Abidin said preliminary investigations suggested that a steering wheel failure was believed to have caused the accident.
Nine members of the FRU were killed, while two others sustained injuries, when a lorry carrying stones collided with an FRU truck transporting 15 personnel on Jalan Chikus-Sungai Lampam at 8.50 am.
In the incident, eight victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while another died while receiving treatment at Teluk Intan Hospital.
Bakri said the driver, in his 40s, who escaped unhurt, was detained this morning under Section 41 of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke later confirmed a special task force would be set up to investigate the cause of the accident.
He said the task force would consist of government and independent experts who would advise the Transport Ministry on the next course of action.
“This will be in addition to the investigation being conducted by the police,” he added.
