UNIVERSITI Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) has confirmed that the ill-fated bus journey which resulted in the deaths of 15 students early Monday morning was not a university-organised trip, but a privately arranged return journey by the students themselves following the Aidiladha holidays.
UPSI Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff clarified that no lecturers or university staff were involved in the trip, which had been planned independently by students travelling from their hometowns in Jerteh and Hulu Terengganu back to the campus in Tanjung Malim.
“The journey was entirely managed by the students themselves in conjunction with the Hari Raya Haji break. No lecturers or staff were involved,” he told Sinar Harian.
Following the devastating crash on the East-West Highway near Banun, the university swiftly set up a 24-hour emergency operations centre to coordinate welfare assistance and provide support to the victims and their families.
Md Amin said UPSI teams have been stationed at both Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun in Ipoh and Hospital Gerik to closely monitor the evolving situation and ensure that the needs of the injured are promptly addressed.
“Our counselling team has also been activated, while the campus-based emergency centre is fully operational, working in collaboration with local community leaders in Jerteh and Hulu Terengganu,” he said.
“We will ensure that every affected family receives comprehensive support — emotionally, logistically, and in terms of welfare.”
He described the tragedy as “an unprecedented incident involving UPSI students in terms of the number of fatalities”.
The crash occurred in the early hours of Monday when a chartered bus carrying 42 UPSI students collided with a Perodua Alza MPV near Tasik Banding. Fifteen were killed and 33 others sustained varying degrees of injury.
Meanwhile, Razali, a member of the public who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, described the situation as “heart-wrenching”.
“There were students crying and screaming for help, some pinned in the wreckage. Others were urging their friends to recite the shahadah, even though it was clear some of them had already passed away,” New Strits Times quoted him saying.
Razali, who rushed from Jeli, Kelantan to assist, said he left the scene by 3pm after doing what he could to help. Emergency personnel from multiple agencies, including the Fire and Rescue Department, police, and the Civil Defence Force, responded to the scene and conducted a rescue operation that continued well into the morning. - June 9, 2025
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