SHAH ALAM: The Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) Headquarters Complex in Section 14 here yesterday was shrouded in gloom and sadness when a group of 26 employees and their spouses arrived after escaping death in a road accident in Turkey, last Wednesday.
The group arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport from Turkey at around 10am before being taken to the headquarters for a doa selamat prayer.
They were greeted by PKNS CEO Datuk Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain, staff and their family members.
Six other staff who suffered injuries during the accident are expected to arrive tonight.
The crash, which occurred at Afyonkarahisar when the tour bus was travelling from Pamukkale to Cappadocia, claimed the life of one of the staff, Azalan Miswan, and caused injuries to 10 others.
Azalan was laid to rest at Section 21 Muslim cemetery here on Saturday.
Reiterating the incident, the head of the troupe, Hasama Ali, 58, said it happened so fast and all he could remember was that the bus skidded before turning sideways.
“Before the incident, we heard noises on the back of the bus and informed the driver. Then, he stopped the bus at a gas station to check the rear tires. He said everything was okay so the journey resumed to the destination.
“The driver seemed to have lost control before the bus turned sideways near the hilly and trenched areas. It happened very fast. All I could remember was seeing the road one minute and the grass the next,” he told reporters, here yesterday.
Grateful that he did not suffer any serious injuries, Hasama said as the head of the troupe, he immediately helped the others to get off the bus and checked on each one of them.
However, as he was looking for Azalan, who was sitting in the front seat of the bus, he saw his body and was informed that he had died.
“I cannot describe how I felt when it happened. It took the life of a dear friend. The late Azalan was a kind and helpful person,“ said a tearful Hasama.
Another member of the entourage, Mohd Fahmy Baharudin, 39, said he was sitting in the back seat of the bus and heard the ‘noises’ and suspected something was wrong but since the driver had stopped to check it, he did not have any doubts.
“After the driver inspected the bus and resumed the journey, I could still hear the sound of metal objects hitting each other. In a matter of minutes, the driver lost control of the wheels before it skidded and turned sideways,” said Mohd Fahmy who suffered injuries on his left hand.
While being thankful that the accident did not cause him serious injuries, he said he would never forget that incident which claimed the life of his friend.
Meanwhile, Mohd Azizi said the death of Azalan was greatly felt by PKNS staff as he was a hardworking and dedicated staff who loved helping his colleagues.
“We will definitely channel financial assistance to his family as they have suddenly lost their breadwinner. I advise all staff involved in the accident to have a rest and calm down before resuming work. We will also send those who sustained injuries to hospital for further treatment if needed,” he said. - Bernama
