FATAL ACCIDENT: JOINT BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION A HEARTBREAKING FINAL MEMORY FOR VICTIMS' FAMILY

MELAKA, Dec 24 (Bernama) -- A joyous birthday celebration in November for three siblings has now become a bittersweet memory for the family of victims in a tragic accident at KM204 of the North-South Expressway (PLUS) northbound last night.

The accident, involving five vehicles including a lorry, claimed the lives of Khairul Ikhwan Mazupi, 32, his wife Fadzlenna Ramli, 32, and one of their children.

Khairul’s sister, Nur Aqilah Mazupi, 30, described the November celebration as special, marking the first time all three of her brother's children celebrated their birthdays together.

“They were born in February and December, but to ensure no one felt left out, we held a joint celebration at their grandmother’s house in Bangi,” she said.

Nur Aqilah, visibly shaken at the Melaka Hospital Forensics Department, recalled her last moments with the family. “Muhammad Umar was so excited, waving at us as their car drove away until he disappeared from view. That memory will stay with me forever.”

The family had travelled to Melaka last Saturday to attend a reunion organised by Fadzlenna’s relatives.

Nur Aqilah said she learned about the accident through news reports. “When I saw that a Toyota Estima was involved, I immediately contacted the police to confirm the registration number. That’s when I rushed here,” she said.

The crash, which occurred at 8.45 pm, involved a tour bus carrying 27 passengers, two lorries, and two cars. Preliminary investigations revealed that the bus struck a lorry tyre on the middle lane, lost control, and veered into the opposite lane, colliding with three vehicles.

Among the deceased were Khairul, and his wife, Fadzlenna, both medical assistants at Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Hospital Serdang, respectively, their youngest son Muhammad Umar, and Fadzlenna’s father, Ramli Ab Wahab, 66.

Two other passengers in the Estima, believed to be Fadzlenna’s mother and niece, also died but have yet to be formally identified.

The couple’s eldest son, Muhammad Uwais Al-Qarni, 7, sustained critical injuries and is currently receiving intensive care. Their second child, Nur Sofea Humaira, 4, is reported to be in stable condition after treatment in the Yellow Zone.

In total, the accident left seven dead and 33 injured, including passengers of the tour bus. The bus driver was among those who perished.

--BERNAMA