At about 1 a.m. on August 19, 2026, an Immigration Department ‘Black Maria’ lorry driven by 43-year-old Mohd Akbar Zainol allegedly ran a red light at the Maju Junction traffic light intersection on Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The lorry, traveling empty from the Kuala Lumpur Immigration office to Chow Kit to pick up detainees after an operation against undocumented migrants, collided with a Proton Saga driven by a 50-year-old man who entered the intersection on a green light [2, 3, 4, 5].
The collision caused the Immigration lorry to lose control, veer off the road, and strike four pedestrians from the same family along with an Inokom Matrix vehicle stopped at the intersection [2, 3, 6, 4, 5]. Three family members died at the scene: father Shaik Mohd Firdaus Shaikh Yahya, 53, and his daughters Siti Nor Sazlin (24-25) and Siti Darwisyah Auni (12) [1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 4, 5]. Shaik Mohd Firdaus’ wife, Norhayati Razali, 55, was seriously injured with a broken hand and injuries to her back and leg. She is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit at Kuala Lumpur Hospital [1, 2, 8, 6, 9, 4, 10, 5].
The family had traveled to Kuala Lumpur for a holiday and intended to visit Shaik Mohd Firdaus’ mother in Semenyih, Selangor [9, 10]. Their remains were buried together in a single grave at Kampung Air Hitam Labu Muslim Cemetery in Kampar on the evening of August 19. About 300 people attended the funeral [6, 7].
The lone occupant of the lorry at the time, Mohd Akbar Zainol, was charged in the Magistrate's Court on August 20 with five offenses including dangerous driving causing death and running a red light. He pleaded not guilty to all charges [1]. Bail of RM15,000 per charge was proposed with conditions such as monthly police reporting and passport surrender [1]. Both the lorry driver and the Proton Saga driver were remanded for one day to facilitate investigations [3, 11, 8]. Police are examining dashcam footage from the relatively new Immigration lorry and CCTV footage from the intersection to clarify the sequence of events [4, 5].
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving [1, 2, 3, 11, 8, 4, 5]. Investigation papers will be referred to the Attorney General’s Chambers for further action on August 21 [11, 8].
Family members, including Mohd Nadzri Razali, brother-in-law to the deceased father, have called for a full and transparent investigation. Razali said, "I hope for a full investigation, because it is claimed that the traffic light was red. That’s what I heard... I ask for justice for my brother-in-law and his family." He added, "I just lost a younger sister three months ago. Now, I have lost two nieces and their father. I am very sad." [2, 9, 10]
Road safety activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye questioned the need for the lorry to rush with siren and flashing lights. He said, "Was there a necessity to rush towards Chow Kit to pick up those who had already been arrested? I believe the enforcement authorities would have had enough personnel to ensure there was no escape." He added, "Road safety is everyone’s responsibility... Unless there is an escort vehicle to escort them through, they have to comply with the law and, most importantly, take road safety into account." [12]
