KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 — The one-year-old toddler who died in Saturday’s crash at the Bukit Kajang Toll Plaza was not secured in a child safety seat, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today, using the tragedy to issue a stark reminder on child passenger safety.
The fatal accident involved a four-vehicle pile-up allegedly caused by a lorry’s brake failure. A 12-month-old boy, Amir Husayn, was killed after being thrown from his family’s car and trapped under the vehicle.
Citing preliminary police findings, Loke addressed the incident during a press conference after launching the Gombak Integrated Terminal.
“Our initial report, based on cross-checks with police, shows that the baby was not placed in a child seat at the time of the crash,” Loke was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.
He was careful to stress that his comments were not intended to blame the grieving parents but to highlight a critical safety lapse, noting that many people often complain when the ministry promotes child seat usage.
Loke added that if a child seat had been used, the baby would likely not have been ejected from the vehicle and might have survived.
“I am not drawing conclusions, but at the very least, a child seat provides additional safety features that can save lives and protect passengers,” he said.
The 42-year-old lorry driver has since been arrested and is being investigated for reckless driving causing death.
He had previous criminal records and traffic summonses but reportedly tested negative for drugs and alcohol after the accident.
