15 university students killed in bus crash on Perak expressway, as PM Anwar orders probe

IPOH, Perak: A fatal crash that claimed the lives of 15 students is being investigated on the orders of Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The accident on the East-West Highway in Perak on Monday morning (Jun 9) involved a bus carrying university students and a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). 

Initial police investigations show that the bus had hit the back of the Perodua Alza before losing control and veering off the road, Perak police chief Noor Hisam Nordin told local news outlet Harian Metro. 

The Ministry of Higher Education confirmed on Monday that 15 students from Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) were killed in the incident in Banun, Gerik along the highway which connects Perak to Jeli in Kelantan.

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Noor Hisam said the bus was carrying 42 UPSI students aged between 21 and 23, all from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The bus was registered in Kedah and had been privately chartered by the students, Bernama reported. 

According to the Hulu Perak Civil Defence Force, the Banun Disaster Operations Control Centre received a call regarding the fatal crash involving a total of 48 victims at around 1.10am. 

“Upon arrival at the location, it was discovered that the bus had overturned in the collision with a Perodua Alza MPV,” the Civil Defence Force said in a statement quoted by Bernama. 

The bus was travelling from Jerteh, Terengganu, UPSI vice-chancellor Md Amin Md Taff confirmed. According to police chief Noor Hisam, it was heading to the university’s main campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak.

Thirteen individuals were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Two victims are being treated with critical injuries, 20 are in semi-critical condition and six are in stable condition, according to the New Straits Times.

In a statement on Monday morning, Anwar expressed his sorrow over the incident and extended condolences to relatives of the victims.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to all the families of the victims. We pray that you find strength and resilience during this incredibly difficult time," he said.

The prime minister also said that he has instructed the Higher Education Ministry to coordinate the necessary assistance to the families of the students involved. 

At a press conference on Monday afternoon, Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir announced various forms of financial aid for the families of the victims involved in the accident. 

He also said 13 bodies had arrived at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh for post-mortem procedures while the remaining two were at Gerik Hospital, Bernama reported.  

Perak Civil Defence Force earlier said that the injured victims suffered “broken arms, broken legs and minor injuries”. 

Of the 48 people involved in the crash, 42 were students, four were occupants of the MPV, and the remaining two were the bus driver and an attendant, Perak Fire and Rescue Department director Sayani Saidon told The Star. 

Meanwhile, the driver and passengers of the MPV - a couple aged 37 and 36 as well as their six-year-old daughter and three-year-old son - were also among those injured and were taken to Baling Hospital in Kedah, according to police chief Noor Hisam as reported by Bernama.

Noor Hisam said that the police could not release the official list of victims yet as the post-mortem process is still ongoing.

Sayani added that the bus and the MPV had been travelling in the same direction from Jeli to Gerik and the crash had caused the bus to overturn and the MPV to skid into a ditch. 

“Some victims managed to exit the vehicle on their own and some were thrown out, while others remained trapped inside the bus,” she said, as quoted by Bernama. 

“The operations commander cut open the rear section of the bus using hydraulic tools to create a working space,” she added. 

“The bus driver was also injured and we have not been able to record his statement,” Noor Hisam, the police chief, said at a press conference at the Perak Police Contingent Headquarters on Monday. 

He added that the case is being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. 

“The road where the accident occured is winding and downhill ... it was dark and had no lights except for the area near Tasik Banding, but it is still too early to draw any conclusions,” he was quoted as saying by local media.

According to the university’s deputy vice-chancellor for student affairs and alumni Norkhalid Salimin, most of the passengers on the bus were students returning to campus after the Aidiladha break, Free Malaysia Today reported.

Aidiladha is a major holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide for three to four days.

“They had gathered in Jerteh and chartered a private bus to return to campus after celebrating the festive break in their hometowns,” he was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today.

UPSI’s vice chancellor Md Amin said the university is awaiting further details from the authorities.

“Please keep them in your prayers,” he was quoted as saying by Harian Metro.

HIGHER EDUCATION MINISTRY, UPSI TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE AID TO FAMILIES OF VICTIMS

Meanwhile, the Higher Education Ministry has announced an initial aid of RM2,000 (US$472) and disaster relief of RM1,000 from the university to the families of victims involved in the tragic bus accident, Bernama reported. 

Minister Zambry said the initial aid is meant to ease the burden of the families, including funeral arrangements for the students who died. All assistance efforts will be coordinated by the university, he said. 

Separately, the Perak state government announced an initial aid contribution of RM1,000 for each of the next of kin of the victims involved in the accident.

Chief Minister Saarani Mohamad said the contribution is intended to alleviate the burden of the victims’ families who had to travel to the state to identify and claim the bodies.

“We understand that not all of them came from well-off families. At the very least, this assistance allows them to find a place to stay if needed and have some money for other expenses,” he told reporters on Monday  

Malaysian roads are some of the world’s most dangerous, with one person dying every two hours according to official statistics between March 2024 and March 2025, The Star reported.

The deadliest road crash on record occurred in 2013, when 37 people were killed after a bus carrying passengers from Genting Highlands casino resort plunged into a ravine, according to the South China Morning Post.

Monday’s accident happened on the same stretch where a truck fatally struck an elephant calf in May, according to local media.