KUALA LUMPUR – A family of three who died after being struck by the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) lorry at the Maju Junction traffic light intersection on Jalan Sultan Ismail here are believed to have been on holiday in the capital.
The accident claimed the lives of a 53-year-old father and his two daughters, aged 25 and 12, whilst the man's 55-year-old wife was reported to be critically injured.
Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) chief Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa, stated that preliminary investigations revealed the family resided in Kampar, Perak.
"They are believed to have been in the capital for a holiday, but it is uncertain how long they had been here (Kuala Lumpur).
"The victim's wife is still receiving treatment in the Red Zone of Kuala Lumpur Hospital," he said when contacted on Wednesday.
It is understood that another child of the victims did not join them on the holiday at the time of the incident.
The incident, which occurred at approximately 1am, involved an Isuzu Black Maria lorry belonging to Kuala Lumpur JIM, two cars, and four pedestrians.
The lorry, carrying no passengers, was driven by a 43-year-old man who was en route from the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Office to Chow Kit to collect detainees following an operation targeting illegal immigrants in the area.
The lorry is believed to have entered the intersection while the traffic light on its route was red, with its beacon light and siren activated.
At the same time, a Proton Saga driven by a 50-year-old Malay man was passing through the intersection while the traffic light on his route was green.
The driver of the Proton Saga was reportedly unable to avoid the lorry in time, resulting in a collision in the middle of the junction.
As a result of the collision, the lorry lost control and swerved before hitting four pedestrians who were members of the same family and an Inokom Matrix driven by a 38-year-old man, which had stopped at the traffic light intersection during the incident.
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.