A five-vehicle crash occurred at about 1:15pm on June 5 at KM27 Jalan Renggam-Kluang/Simpang Renggam, Johor, killing five people [1, 2, 3]. The crash involved a BMW 530e driven by a 22-year-old man, a Mercedes-Benz A250 driven by his 19-year-old brother, a Perodua Alza, a Toyota Vios, a Proton Wira, and another Mercedes-Benz [1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 6, 7].
Assistant Commissioner Bahrin Mohd Noh said the BMW driver lost control of the vehicle, veered into the opposite lane, and collided head-on with oncoming vehicles before plunging into a ravine [1, 2, 3, 5]. The crash claimed the lives of four family members traveling in the Toyota Vios: Mohd Aiman Mohd Rashid, 36; his wife Nor Azlina Abd Latif, 33; her mother Semek Mat Soh, 73; and Aiman's 10-year-old niece Nur Airish Syifa Sidek [1, 2, 4, 8, 6, 7]. The BMW driver also died while being rushed to the hospital [1, 2, 4, 3, 8, 7].
Two children aged 11 and 7 in the Perodua Alza sustained head injuries and were treated at Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital in Kluang [1, 2, 3, 6]. The 43-year-old Perodua Alza driver suffered leg injuries, the 22-year-old Proton Wira driver had mouth injuries, and a 57-year-old woman driving the second Mercedes-Benz sustained minor injuries [1, 2, 3, 5].
The 19-year-old Mercedes-Benz driver was arrested, vehicle seized, and remanded for two days for investigation under Sections 41(1) and 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless and dangerous driving causing death [1, 3, 9, 7]. Urine tests on the suspect were negative for prohibited substances, Assistant Commissioner Bahrin confirmed [1, 3, 5]. Reports said the two brothers were believed to have been racing at high speed when the accident occurred [7, 10, 11].
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook condemned the actions, calling the driving "highly irresponsible and completely unacceptable," and demanding a speedy investigation and appropriate legal action [9, 7, 10, 11]. He said, "A driving licence is not a licence to drive recklessly and cause tragedy to innocent people" [9].
Attorney General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar ordered the probe to be classified as murder and reckless driving causing death while expressing regret and disappointment over the recurring fatal crashes despite prior stern action [7, 10, 11]. He said, "We have instructed that the investigation be classified as murder and reckless driving causing the death of road users" and noted the lack of deterrence among errant drivers [7].
The four deceased family members were transported to Terengganu and buried together in a single grave at Bandar Al-Muktafi Billah Shah Muslim Cemetery in Dungun after funeral prayers were held on the morning of June 6 [4, 8, 6, 12, 7].
