Gerik: A father’s joy over his daughter’s acceptance turned into heartbreak after she was killed in a bus crash that claimed 15 lives early this morning. Nur Ainul Qistina Mat Ali, 21, had been preparing to begin her studies at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) when the chartered bus she was travelling in overturned following a collision along the East-West Highway (JRTB), near Tasik Banding in Gerik, Perak.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, her sister, Nur Ainul Afiqah, 22, shared that their father, Mat Ali Mat Amin, 56, was overjoyed when Qistina was accepted into UPSI. In celebration, he slaughtered a goat, a gesture that marked the fulfillment of Qistina’s childhood dream of becoming a teacher. Despite academic struggles early on, Qistina excelled in her Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examinations, earning her a place at the teacher-training university in late 2023.
Afiqah recalled their father’s promise to sacrifice a goat if Qistina made it to university. “She jumped for joy when she got the offer and reminded our father of his promise. We shared the meat with our neighbours,” Afiqah said. Just one day before the tragic crash, Qistina expressed a desire to visit Pantai Benting Lintang with Afiqah and their younger sister, Nur Ainul Afni Aqilah. They enjoyed a meal by the beach, leaving only when Afiqah noticed the wind picking up, signaling an impending storm.
On the morning of the accident, Afiqah recounted how their father learned about the tragedy from a friend at around 4 am, prompting the family to rush to Perak. In another account, a disabled couple from Hulu Besut expressed relief that their son, Tuan Muhammad Adham Tuan Adnan, survived the crash, albeit with multiple fractures. His father, Tuan Adnan Nik Him, who is paralysed, and his mother, Zunidah Ibrahim, who has a speech impairment and kidney disease, were unable to travel to Perak to be by his side.
Yusmaimi Yusof, another grieving parent, recounted taking a final family photo with her son, Fakrul Arif Rosdi, before he boarded the bus. Fakrul Arif, who complained of a mild fever but showed no other distress signs, was seated at the rear-left side of the bus, a section that bore the brunt of the impact. Yusmaimi received the devastating news of the crash around 4.15 am and learned of her son’s death at 6 am, prompting her and her husband to rush to Gerik.
The crash, which occurred between 12.30 am and 1 am, involved a collision between the chartered bus carrying students from Jertih to UPSI in Tanjung Malim and a multi-purpose vehicle, leading to the bus overturning. The accident resulted in the deaths of 15 students and injuries to 33 others, including passengers in both vehicles.