Girl, 8, among 3 siblings killed in Johor crash while travelling to haze-closed school: 'I told them no need to go'

Three siblings in Malaysia died on Thursday (Oct 8) after their motorcycle crashed into a lorry in Pontian, Johor.

The biker, an 18-year-old, was ferrying his 11-year-old brother and eight-year-old sister to school when the accident occurred, according to The Star.

All Johor schools are closed on Oct 8 and 9 due to persistent haze and deteriorating air quality.

District police chief Hadzrat Hussein Mion Hussian said in a statement that the motorcycle is believed to have collided into a lorry travelling in the opposite direction.

The younger siblings, who were riding pillon, were declared dead at the scene, while their older brother died while being taken to hospital.

Photographs of the accident scene show the damaged front bumper of the lorry.

The children have been identified as Nor Daniel Aiman, 18; Nor Daniel Fikri Norlizan, 11; and Puteri Naufal Raisya, 8.

Their mother, Julaiha Munaji, said the younger two children had insisted on going to school.

"I told them there was no need to go because school was closed today," New Straits Times quoted her as saying.

"Their older brother took them there to show them that the school was indeed closed. But on the way home, they were involved in the accident."

@asiaone The school was closed due to haze. #Malaysianews #Malaysia #road #accident #school ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

The children were just 200 metres away from home when they crashed, Julaiha, a mother of six, added.

The lorry driver, 69, has been treated for arm and leg injuries.

Police investigations are ongoing.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com