JASIN - A couple and their four children were on their way back to their hometown to vote when they experienced a terrifying moment as their car crashed into an express bus, in a five-vehicle incident on Kilometre 189.6 of the North-South Highway (southern direction) here today.
The incident, which occurred at about 12pm, did not involve any casualties.
The victim, who is also a government official, Mohd Redza Fahlawi Mohd Abdullah, 48, said he and his wife, Salmiah Pungut, 47, and four of their children who were travelling in a Honda Stream multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) on their way back to the village in Parit Raja, Muar Johor to vote on Saturday.
Mohd Redza said they left home in Puchong, Selangor about 9.30am before their car was suddenly rammed into an express bus which lost control from behind at the scene.
"Although the accident left my car badly damaged, we are grateful that our family survived," he said.
His wife, Salmiah, who is also a government official, said that after the incident, her hands were shaking in shock over what happened to her family.
"My youngest child who was five years old was asleep, so when it happened he was very scared and crying.
She added that both she and her husband will still vote tomorrow, despite the incident.
Meanwhile, Jasin District Police Chief Deputy Superintendent Mispani Hamdan said the accident occurred when an express bus lost control and hit the Honda Stream that the victims were riding in.
At the same time, another bus crashed into a Toyota Vios and the vehicle crashed into the side of an express bus that stopped in the emergency lane.
"The case is being investigated by the South 1 Highway Investigation Unit (USLR)," he said.
Sinar Harian today reported the accident at Kilometer 189.6 of the North-South Highway had caused a traffic jam along 14 kilometres of the south highway.
Plustrafik on Twitter reported that at 12.01pm, the accident caused all lanes to be blocked and congestion occurred from Ayer Keroh to Jasin.