PUTRAJAYA, 20 Sept — Two motorcyclists were killed, seven injured while five others escaped unhurt after a sand-laden trailer rammed into 13 other vehicles at KM5.7 of Jalan Persiaran Utara heading towards Puchong here 10.15am today.
Putrajaya district police chief ACP A. Asmadi Abdul Aziz identified the dead as Pos Malaysia employee Faris Haziq Abu Bakar, 25, and Ampang Court employee Yuswar Mohd Uyus, 39, following positive confirmation by their next of kin at Putrajaya Hospital at 5.30pm, while the injured were treated at the Putrajaya Hospital and Serdang Hospital for serious injuries and fractures.
He said that the trailer hit a column of vehicles — a one-tonne lorry, seven cars and five motorcycles, including a traffic police motorcycle — that had told to stop in the lane by traffic police conducting training and identifying the route for tomorrow’s Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) event.
Upon his arrest, the 25-year-old trailer driver, who did not have any prior traffic offences and tested negative for drugs, claimed he could not stop in time.
A. Asmadi noted the driver should have had enough time to stop based on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the trailer switching from the middle to the left lane prior to hitting the vehicles.
“We do not know whether the driver was distracted or using a mobile phone. The trailer appears to be new.
“For us, he had the opportunity to stop. Other vehicles came to a halt properly when instructed by traffic officers,” he told the press at the accident site, adding that investigations will continue, especially on the trailer’s technical aspects and the driver will be remanded tomorrow to facilitate further investigations.
A. Asmadi also urged anyone with information or evidence about the incident to assist police investigation under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
The traffic police who stopped the vehicles had complied with the entire standard operating procedure set for their task.
“In terms of their compliance to the SOP, everything was done properly based on CCTV observation,” he said, adding the traffic police personnel whose motorcycle was hit had escaped unhurt.
— Bernama
