KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) has suspended the duties of the department's lorry driver who was involved in a fatal accident that killed three family members at the Maju Junction traffic lights, Jalan Sultan Ismail here, yesterday.
Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the action was taken to enable authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
"Our department's immediate action is to suspend the driver's duties until the case is resolved and to provide full cooperation to the police in this case.
"JIM is also conducting an internal investigation from the aspect of compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP)," he said when contacted here, today.
In the incident at about 1am yesterday, three pedestrians from one family died while another was seriously injured after being hit by a 'Black Maria' belonging to the department.
The accident is believed to have occurred when an empty lorry, which was heading towards Chow Kit for an illegal immigrant operation, entered a traffic light intersection when the light was red by activating its beacon and siren.
The official duty vehicle then collided with a Proton Saga that was moving straight when the light was green, causing the lorry to lose control and skid before hitting a pedestrian and an Inokom Matrix car. The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. - BERNAMA