KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — The Works Ministry (KKR) has extended its condolences to the family of the victims who died after a vehicle plunged into a ravine along a stretch of road that had been closed following a landslide at Kilometre 52 of the Kuala Jeneris-Sungai Gawi-Aring (Bukit Kawah) route yesterday.

Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the ministry views the incident seriously as it involves the safety of road users.

“Such incidents are truly unfortunate, especially when all the relevant agencies had already taken preventive measures by closing the road and putting up various warning signs in the area,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

He said that, according to an initial report from the Hulu Terengganu Public Works Department (JKR), the incident involved a vehicle that entered a route that was fully closed to all road users due to a previous road collapse.

According to Nanta, JKR had put up clear warning signs and concrete barriers as safety measures, with ongoing monitoring also carried out in coordination with the concessionaire.

“The road closure had been gazetted under Section 70 of the Road Transport Act 1987, covering a stretch of federal route FT36 from Kilometre 55.60 to Kilometre 139.30.

“KKR reminded the public to follow safety instructions and heed road closure signs at disaster sites to prevent similar incidents from recurring,” he said.

Nanta said JKR had acted promptly, installing warning signs and concrete barriers in both directions, filing a police report over the road closure breach and logging the landslide incident on the official portal.

He said KKR, through JKR, has secured approval to construct a bridge on FT36 at Kilometre 89.00, along Jalan Aring 8-Tasik Kenyir-Kuala Jeneris, in Hulu Terengganu, with a RM36 million project approved on March 25.

“The project is currently at the procurement stage, with the Letter of Acceptance expected to be issued in the fourth week of December 2025,” he added.

The media reported yesterday that a couple, who were planning to marry, died at the scene when their SUV skidded off the road and plunged into a ravine over 60 metres deep. 

In KUALA BERANG, the mother of the female victim, Fauziah Mahmood, 58, said she last spoke to her daughter, Suzaimah Che Azis, 34, at about 11.30 am yesterday.

Fauziah said her daughter had been busy preparing for her wedding, which was due on Dec 25.

“Among the preparations already made were five gift trays. I believe they went to Kuala Terengganu to make final arrangements, as the police found bridal attire in the car,” she said when met at the Forensic Department of Hulu Terengganu Hospital today.

She said Suzaimah, who had three children aged seven to 15 from her previous marriage, had planned a small wedding ceremony, inviting only immediate family members.

Meanwhile, in KOTA BHARU, 82-year-old Mek Som Ishak never expected that a discussion about her son, 52-year-old Hassan Sazali’s wedding date yesterday, would turn into the most heartbreaking news of her life.

Speaking to reporters at her home near Kampung Kedai Menanti, she said Hassan worked as a senior teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan Lebir Gua Musang and had five children, aged eight to 24, with his former wife.

Suzaimah’s body will be brought home for burial at Kampung Lebir Cemetery in Gua Musang, Kelantan while Hassan is expected to be laid to rest at Kedai Menanti Muslim Cemetery here after Isyak prayers. — Bernama