Gerik: The remains of the 13 victims from the collision involving the bus carrying Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students along the East-West Highway in Banun, Gerik, near Tasik Banding, early today have been taken to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) in Ipoh for post-mortem. Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said two other bodies would undergo post-mortem at Gerik Hospital, where those injured in the crash are also being treated.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the ministry is also coordinating accommodation assistance for the victims’ families, together with Ungku Omar Polytechnic, Ipoh, and Gerik Community College. Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir stated that he is on the way to the Ipoh hospital to meet the victims’ families and urged everyone to pray for ease in their affairs and for the families involved to be granted strength and patience.

He further mentioned that the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) and UPSI have deployed various forms of aid to be given to all those involved, and UPSI has set up an operations room with a hotline. He confirmed that so far, 15 people from UPSI were killed in this morning’s crash.

Earlier, the Hulu Perak Civil Defence Force (APM) District Operations Control Centre (PKOD) reported that at least 15 people were killed in the crash involving 48 people. UPSI deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) Prof Dr Norkhalid Salimin, when contacted, stated that the accident involved 42 university students who were returning to their campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak, from Jertih, Terengganu, by chartered bus after the Aidiladha celebration.