Four killed in traffic accident

KUALA LUMPUR (UPI): The festive season of Chinese New Year claimed its first victims in Malaysia, when four people were killed after a car packed with 10 people collided with a truck in the eastern state of Trengganu, a police spokesman said yesterday.

Two Myanmarese, a Bangladeshi and a Malaysian were killed in the accident. The Malaysian was identified as Hanifi Hamat, 29, according to state Traffic Police Chief Tengku Azman Abdullah. He identified the Myanmarese as Yu Than Sein, 43, and Sooe Win, 32, and said the Bangladeshi was Golam Mustapha, 29.

Six other people, all foreign workers, were seriously injured in the Monday crash, which happened when the car hit a truck while trying to negotiate a turn. The truck driver and his passenger escaped injury.

Traffic fatalities increase during any festive season in Malaysia, as crowds of city dwellers rush back to their home villages to celebrate with family and friends. Last year about 232 people were killed in traffic accidents during the week-long Lunar New Year celebration, the police chief said.