Bus hits toll plaza structure injuring 10 pupils

Ten Year Six pupils of SRJKC Jit Sin A, Bukit Mertajam, Penang were slightly injured when the bus they were traveling in crashed into a concrete structure at the Ipoh (South) Toll Plaza here, Wednesday.

Perak Traffic Investigation and Enforcement department chief Supt Wan Jamil Wan Chik said the bus was carrying 39 passengers including a driver, a tour guide and four teachers in the 5pm incident.

In a statement today, he said the bus was heading to Butterworth, Penang from Cameron Highlands when its brakes failed suddenly, causing it to graze against two small trucks waiting to pay toll before hitting the structure.

He said the injured students were taken to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital here for treatment.

Meanwhile, a teacher, Ng Kim Tee, 56, recounted that he was sitting right behind the bus driver, and as they were approaching the toll plaza, the latter suddenly panicked, saying repeatedly that the brakes were not functioning.

The bus driver, Razman Yaakub, 28, said he had no choice but to ram into the structure to minimise the impact.

-- BERNAMA