KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 — Four runners are in hospital after a car driven by a marathon volunteer ploughed into them at the event in Kuantan yesterday.

Kuantan police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Noor Yusof Ali said the 28-year-old driver lost control of her car while trying to help several participants in the "Run Out Pahang Marathon 2018” who were running outside the designated area near Masjid Al-Imam Ash-Shafie in the 8.25am incident, The Star reported today.

"She tried to brake her car so she could give directions to the runners, however she is believed to have lost control of the vehicle and it veered to the left before hitting the runners,” he was quoted as saying.

The senior policeman said police are looking for witnesses to aid investigations and will be taking statements from the victims, driver and organisers.

He also said the sports associations, district government departments, non-governmental organisations and event organisers will be meeting to discuss measures to prevent such mishaps from recurring.

The injured runners were identified as Ahmad Fakhri Sulaiman, 31, Chua Yennie, 21, Nurul Huda Ahmad Razali, 31, and Haslinda Othman, 41.

Ahmad Fakhri suffered injuries to his head and left leg; Chua had injuries to her face and head; Nurul Huda, a lecturer at the Universiti Tenaga Nasional campus in Muadzam Shah, was reported to have broken her right leg; and Haslinda suffered injuries to her head, legs, and left arm.

The car said to have been driven by the event volunteer that crashed into four runners on Sunday morning. — Picture courtesy of PDRM

Three victims were sent to the International Islamic University Hospital while another was taken to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan for treatment.

The race, held in collaboration with the Pahang Athletics Association and Pahang Tourism Office, was reportedly organised by a Kuantan-based company that has been running similar events for the past five years.

The Star reported that the run was approved by the Malaysian Sports Commissioner’s Office and Kuantan Municipal Council.

On March 1, ultramarathon runner Evelyn Ang, 44, succumbed to her injuries from a similar incident on December 10 during the Klang City International Marathon.

The driver in Ang’s incident, identified as Teoh Thiam Lim, 28, was initially charged with reckless and dangerous driving on February 20, but later had his charged amended to causing death by reckless or dangerous driving on March 9.