KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — Police have identified the three family members killed in the early morning crash involving a Malaysian Immigration Department lorry on Jalan Sultan Ismail.

Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief ACP Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa said they were Shaik Mohd Firdaus Shaikh Yahya, 53, and his two daughters, Siti Nor Sazlin, 25, and Siti Darwisyah Auni, 12.

“Shaik Mohd Firdaus’ 55-year-old wife is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Kuala Lumpur Hospital,” he said when contacted today.

He added that the Immigration lorry driver and Proton Saga driver, aged 43 and 50, have been remanded for one day until tomorrow to assist with investigations.

Meanwhile, Shaik Mohd Firdaus’ nephew, Zaid Darfis, 39, said his uncle had come to Kuala Lumpur to visit his mother in Semenyih, Selangor.

“He managed to call my mother-in-law to inform us the family had arrived in Kuala Lumpur. I only found out about the accident after she called me around 7.30 this morning,” he said.

A Bernama check at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine of the hospital found family members and relatives of the victims still gathered at the hospital. Also present was Kuala Lumpur Immigration director Hamsha Injau.

It is understood that the victims’ remains will be taken to Masjid Jamiul Ehsan, Jalan Pahang for prayers and funeral rites before being laid to rest at the Muslim cemetery in Kampung Air Hitam Labu, Kampar, Perak.

The crash occurred around 1 am, when an empty Isuzu Black Maria Immigration lorry was believed to be travelling from the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Office to Chow Kit for an operation against undocumented migrants.

It apparently entered the Maju Junction intersection while the traffic light at its lane was red, with its beacon lights and siren activated. At the same time, a Proton Saga moving straight on a green light was reportedly unable to avoid the lorry and collided with it.

The impact sent the lorry careering out of control and into a skid, mowing down four pedestrians, who were members of the same family, along with an Inokom Matrix multi-purpose vehicle.

Three of the pedestrians, a 53-year-old man and his two daughters, aged 25 and 12, were killed at the scene. The mother, aged 55, was severely injured.

The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. — Bernama