KUALA LUMPUR — Transport Minister Anthony Loke has condemned the kind of irresponsible driving that killed five people in Simpang Renggam, Johor, yesterday.
He urged police to conduct a swift investigation into the incident where a 19-year old male driver of a Mercedes Benz A250 appeared to be in a “chase” with his older brother driving a BMW 530e.
The 22-year-old brother in the BMW lost control and went into the opposite lane, causing a five-vehicle accident and the deaths of four people from the same family. The older brother died on the way to hospital of his injuries.
Loke said the tragedy was completely avoidable but had happened due to reckless driving.
“This kind of driving is very irresponsible and completely unacceptable. Road safety is the joint responsibility of all road users.
“A driving licence is not permission to drive as you please to the point of causing disaster to innocent people,” he said in a statement today.
He also expressed his condolences to the victim’s family.
The 19-year-old was placed in remand today for two days to facilitate police investigations under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
The remand order was issued by Magistrate Mustaqim Sukarno at the Batu Pahat Magistrate’s Court.
According to police, and as seen on dashcam videos now circulating on social media, the two brothers appeared to be in a chase with each other on Jalan Johor Bahru-Ayer Hitam, Simpang Renggam before the accident at 1.15pm yesterday.
Kluang district police chief ACP Bahrin Mohd Noh said the crash occurred when the BMW lost control and entered the opposite lane, hitting four cars – a Perodua Alza, Toyota Vios, Proton Wira and another Mercedes Benz – before the BMW went off the road.
As a result of the collision, a family of four including a 10-year-old girl were confirmed dead at the scene due to severe head and body injuries.
Besides the girl, others killed were the 36-year-old male driver of the Vios, his 33-year-old wife, and a 73-year-old woman.
Bahrin said the suspect’s brother who was driving the BMW 530e died on the way to hospital due to the severe injuries he sustained when the vehicle plunged into a ravine.
Two children in the Perodua Alza – aged 11 and 7 – sustained head injuries and are receiving treatment, while the 43-year-old Alza driver, 43, suffered leg injuries. The Proton Wira driver, 22, sustained facial injuries.
The driver of the second Mercedes-Benz, a 57-year-old woman sustained minor chest and facial injuries, while her two passengers were unharmed.
The teenager, who was arrested yesterday, was brought to court today dressed in brown lockup attire and covered his face to avoid photographers.
Meanwhile, the four family members who perished were buried today in Dungun, Terengganu, with more than 200 friends and relatives present.
The four were Mohd Aiman Mohd Rashid, 36; his wife Nor Azlina Abd Latif, 33; her mother Semek Mat Soh, 73; and his niece Nur Airish Syifa Sidek, 10. They were buried in a single grave at the Bandar Al-Muktafi Billah Shah Muslim Cemetery this morning. – June 2, 2026