A Malaysian soldier was killed in a fatal crash yesterday after a Proton Wira attempting to overtake another vehicle veered into the opposite lane and slammed head-on into an army truck, according to early police findings reported by Sinar Harian.
Machang district police chief Superintendent Ahmad Shafiki Hussin said the accident happened at about 6.35pm along Jalan Kota Bharu–Kuala Krai near Bukit Belah. The collision also injured three other soldiers and the Proton Wira driver.
He said the three-tonne Hicom Handalan truck belonging to the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) was carrying four personnel travelling from Tanah Merah back to Kem Desa Pahlawan in Kok Lanas.
“Preliminary investigations show the Proton Wira, heading from Kota Bharu, attempted to overtake a vehicle and entered the opposite lane before colliding with the army truck. The driver of the truck was unable to avoid the crash,” he said in a statement.
The front-seat passenger of the army truck died at the scene. The surviving soldiers and the car driver were rushed to Machang Hospital for treatment.
The investigation is ongoing under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving causing death.
Police are calling on witnesses to contact 011-1454020 or the Machang district police operations room at 09-9751222 to assist with the probe.
