A fatal crash occurred at about 1 a.m. on Aug 19 at the Maju Junction intersection on Jalan Sultan Ismail in Kuala Lumpur when an empty Immigration Department truck ran a red light and collided with a Proton Saga, then veered into four pedestrians from the same family standing in a designated pedestrian safe zone on the road divider [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
The family members killed were a 53-year-old man and his daughters aged 25 and 12. Their 55-year-old wife and mother was also struck, sustaining head, right hand, and leg injuries. She was taken to the critical care unit of Kuala Lumpur Hospital [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
The 43-year-old Immigration truck driver was travelling from the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Office to Chow Kit to pick up detainees after an operation targeting undocumented migrants. The truck’s siren and beacon lights were activated as it entered the intersection [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa said, "The truck is believed to have entered the intersection while the traffic light was red, with its beacon lights and siren activated. The Proton Saga driver was believed to have been unable to avoid the Immigration truck, resulting in a collision in the middle of the intersection" [3]. The 50-year-old Proton Saga driver and the 38-year-old driver of an Inokom Matrix car that was stopped at the light both escaped without injury. Breathalyser and urine tests on all three drivers were negative for alcohol and drugs [1, 3, 4, 5].
Police said the collision caused the Immigration truck to lose control and veer into the family of four on the pedestrian safe zone. CCTV footage confirmed the family was in a safe crossing area when struck, Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said [8, 7]. Both the Immigration truck and Proton Saga drivers were arrested to assist with investigation, which is ongoing under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving [1, 3, 4, 5, 7].
Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, Immigration Department director-general, confirmed the collision and pledged full cooperation with police. He said the department would conduct an internal probe on the adherence to SOPs and safety measures for departmental vehicles [9, 5, 10].
The Road Safety Expert Association (PPKJR) criticized the truck driver for running the red light despite official duties. PPKJR chairman Jamil Manan Supri said, "A red light means stop, it is not a suggestion. When the traffic light is red, drivers must stop. It does not matter whether the road appears empty, whether the driver is in a hurry, whether the vehicle belongs to the government or who is behind the wheel" [11, 12].
The family was believed to have been visiting Kuala Lumpur for a holiday; arrival and accommodation details remain unconfirmed [6].
Police continue gathering evidence and witness statements as investigations proceed.
