Bus driver's family ready to assist investigations into crash

GEORGE TOWN: The family of the ill-fated express bus driver Zakeer Zubir, 32, who was killed in an accident in Pagoh, Johor, on Saturday, are hoping investigations can be completed soon.

The family also did not rule out the possibility of taking legal action against the bus company.

The late Zakeer's uncle, Abdul Shukoor Rahim, 63, said the family was ready to cooperate with any authority who conducted the investigation on the crash so that the report could be completed soon.

"We are prepared to assist the investigations and I hope the report can be completed soon to seek justice for Zakeer, who was also one of the victims in the accident," he told reporters when met at Zakeer's family house here today.

He said the family had appointed a lawyer, Syahril Rezwan Abdullah, to assist in matters of law, if there was any injustice against Zakeer.

"We want a response from the employer on why the company had only appointed one driver for such a long distance journey from Penang to Johor Baru and then a return trip to Kuala Lumpur.
"We will wait until the completion of the investigation within the next two weeks and if there is still no response from the bus company, we will not hesitate to take legal action to seek justice for Zakeer," he said.

The late Zakeer was the bus driver involved in an accident at Km137.3 on the North-South Expressway, northbound, that claimed 14 lives including his youngest daughter, Nur Natasha Zahara, one, while his wife Miyarseh (an Indonesian) was seriously injured and being treated at the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Muar.

Meanwhile, Shukoor said that family members had decided to move Miyarseh who suffered fractures on her legs, arms and ribs, to a hospital in Penang to undergo surgery.

"For the good of all parties, we decided to bring Miyarseh to get treatment at the hospital here so that family members can keep an eye on her while receiving treatment and the plan to bring her to Penang is underway," he said.

Yesterday it was reported that the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) announced that it would issue a preliminary report on the bus tragedy within the next two weeks. — Bernama