KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — The owner of the lorry involved in the crash that killed nine Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel in Teluk Intan said the vehicle passed a Puspakom inspection last month.

According to Free Malaysia Today, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had earlier said the accident might have been prevented if the lorry had undergone a Puspakom inspection.

“Last month, I went to Puspakom and the lorry passed inspection. After that, I renewed the road tax,” said the owner, who only wished to be identified as Ravi, 58.

He said the lorry had all the necessary documentation.

The crash took place at 8.40am on Tuesday when a gravel-laden lorry collided with an FRU truck carrying personnel back to their base in Ipoh.

The officers had been deployed to provide security at a festival in Teluk Intan.

Nine FRU personnel were killed, while two others were critically injured.

The driver of the lorry, Rudi Zulkarnain Mat Radi, 45, had been working with the company for about one and a half months.

He was charged yesterday with causing death by reckless driving.

Ravi said he was devastated by the incident and extended his condolences to the victims’ families.

“Of course, I feel heartbroken,” he said.

“On behalf of the company, we apologise to the families of the victims, and I also extend my condolences to them. I would like to meet them to express my sympathies.”

“I constantly think about how they must feel. They’ve lost family members, lost husbands — how will they go on with their lives? When the head of the family is gone, of course their lives will be difficult,” he added.