November 9, 2022 @ 9:40pm

IPOH: A bus carrying about 60 university students is believed to have skidded before overturning on Jalan Slim Lama, Tanjung Malim, late this evening.

Muallim District Police Chief, Superintendent Mohd Hasni Mohd Nasir, said his department received a call about the incident at about 7pm.

"The accident involved a bus skidding on its own after the Kota Malim Prima Intersection. Initial investigations found that 11 passengers, including the driver, were lightly injured and were taken to Slim River Hospital for treatment," he said in a statement today.

He said the cause of the incident was still under investigation and the development of the case would be announced in the near future.

Meanwhile, Tanjung Malim Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) Chief, Mohd Zairul Fahmi Mohd Nazari, when contacted by BERNAMA, said his party had gone to the scene of the incident for rescue work.

Commenting further, Mohd Hasni said that initial investigations found that the incident was believed to have occurred due to a flat tire while the bus was travelling from the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI) Sultan Idris Campus towards UPSI Sultan Azlan Shah Campus.

"When they arrived at the scene, the bus's front right tire had burst, causing the 63-year-old driver to lose control and slide into a ditch on the left side of the road," he said.

He said that as a result of this accident, 17 passengers suffered minor injuries and received treatment at Slim River Hospital and the Tanjung Malim Health Clinic.

Several photos and videos showing the overturned bus went viral on social media and were uploaded to Facebook by Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Tanjung Malim parliamentary seat, Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, who also visited the scene of the incident.

"I was very saddened when I saw the road accident. This accident involved UPSI students in the UPSI City area.

"Hopefully everyone involved is safe. Let's pray for the best. Hopefully all matters will be made easier," he said in the post. — BERNAMA