TANJUNG MALIM, June 9 — A total of 160 students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) here have begun their journey to Jerteh, Terengganu, to pay their last respects to the UPSI students who perished in an accident on the East-West Highway (JRTB), near Tasik Banding, Gerik, early this morning.

All of them boarded four buses provided by UPSI, departing at 5.25pm and are expected to arrive in Jerteh late tonight.

UPSI Student Affairs Division Cultural Officer, Mohd Halim Mat Zaki, said they would be divided into several groups before proceeding to residences of victims’ families.

A Bernama survey found a somber and sorrowful atmosphere enveloping the group of students, consisting of friends and acquaintances of the victims from various faculties.

"This initiative was brought by the Student Representative Council (MPP) to the UPSI management, and they sought permission to take the students for the visit.

"This high level of concern is a common practice at UPSI if there is a death or misfortune befalling members of the UPSI community,” he said when met by Bernama here today.

In the accident that occurred between 12.30am and 1am, 15 UPSI students died after the chartered bus they were on, travelling from Jerteh, Terengganu, to Tanjung Malim, Perak, overturned in a collision with an Alza MPV on the JRTB near Tasik Banding, Perak.

The accident also resulted in 33 others being injured, including the bus driver and second driver, as well as the Alza driver and three passengers. — Bernama