SHAH ALAM – A Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) student is counting his blessings after narrowly escaping a tragic bus crash that claimed the lives of 15 of his friends.
The accident, which involved a tour bus and a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), occurred along the East-West Highway linking Gerik and Jeli around 1am on Sunday.
Muhammad Shafie Mat Anuar, 21, shared that he was supposed to join the group of 42 students on the bus heading back to campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak. However, a fever landed him in the hospital, preventing him from boarding.
"I'm grateful that even though I fell ill and had to be hospitalised, Allah SWT spared me from being involved in the accident.
"However, I’m still deeply saddened thinking about the fate of my friends who were affected...Some lost their lives, some were injured and some are still unaccounted for," he told Sinar on Monday.
Shafie, originally from Jertih, said he was hospitalised due to a leptospirosis (rat urine disease) infection, which caused his fever.
The incident saw a bus carrying over 40 UPSI students reportedly skid off the road while returning from their hometown break in Jerteh, Terengganu.
Fifteen students were confirmed dead, with the remaining passengers suffering various injuries.
They are receiving treatment at Gerik Hospital and Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh.
The second-semester Bachelor of Agricultural Science student stated that despite being unwell, he would continue to await updates on the condition of his friends.
He found out about the accident only after waking up and receiving news from other friends.