Immigration Lorry Runs Red Light, Kills Family of Three

Immigration Lorry Runs Red Light in Kuala Lumpur, Killing Family of Three at Maju Junction

On 19 August 2026, a lorry owned by the Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia) ran a red light at the Maju Junction intersection on Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, causing a multi-vehicle collision that killed three members of a family and injured a fourth. The incident involved an empty Isuzu lorry from the Immigration Department of Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur, a Proton Saga, an Inokom Matrix, and four pedestrians who were all from the same family. The fatal accident occurred at approximately 1:00 AM and is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving.

Key Facts

This section provides the essential details of the 19 August 2026 fatal accident involving an Immigration Department lorry in Kuala Lumpur.

What Happened in the Immigration Lorry Accident at Maju Junction?

The Immigration Department lorry was travelling from the Kuala Lumpur Immigration Office towards Chow Kit to pick up detainees following an operation against undocumented migrants. The lorry entered the intersection while the traffic light for its direction was red, with its beacon lights and siren activated. At the same time, a Proton Saga driven by a 50-year-old man was moving straight through the intersection after his light turned green, and he could not avoid the collision.

The impact caused the Immigration lorry to lose control and veer into four pedestrians, who were all members of the same family walking at the intersection. The lorry also struck an Inokom Matrix that was stopped at the traffic light. Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa, confirmed the sequence of events in an official statement on Wednesday. Police have seized CCTV footage and are seeking independent witnesses to assist with the investigation.

The lorry entered the intersection against a red light, collided with a Proton Saga in the middle of the junction, and subsequently struck four pedestrians from the same family.

Who Were the Victims of the Jalan Sultan Ismail Crash?

The victims were a family of four who were at the Maju Junction intersection when the out-of-control Immigration lorry mounted the pedestrian area. The deceased are a 53-year-old man and his two daughters, aged 25 and 12, all of whom died at the scene. The 55-year-old wife and mother of the two girls sustained injuries to her head, right hand, and both legs and was rushed to the red zone (emergency ward) of Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) for treatment.

The family had been walking at the intersection when the lorry veered towards them after the initial collision with the Proton Saga. The severity of the impact was captured in videos and images shared widely on social media, showing the crumpled state of the vehicles involved. The four pedestrians struck by the lorry were all members of the same family unit, making this a single-household tragedy.

A 53-year-old man and his two daughters, aged 25 and 12, died at the scene, while the 55-year-old wife and mother was hospitalised at HKL with serious injuries.

Why Did the Immigration Lorry Run the Red Light?

According to Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa, the lorry was en route to Chow Kit to collect detainees after an enforcement operation against undocumented migrants. The lorry is believed to have entered the intersection while the traffic light for its lane was red, with its beacon lights and siren activated. The activation of emergency lights and sirens does not exempt a driver from exercising due care at an intersection.

"The lorry is believed to have entered the intersection when the traffic light for its direction was red, with the beacon light and siren activated."

— Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa, Chief of Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department

Police investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances, including whether the emergency vehicle protocol was correctly followed. Both the 43-year-old lorry driver and the 50-year-old Proton Saga driver were detained for questioning, and breathalyser tests for alcohol and initial urine screening for drugs returned negative results for both men.

Initial police investigations indicate the lorry entered the intersection on a red light with its siren active, and both drivers tested negative for alcohol and drugs.

What is the Legal Penalty Under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987?

The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which addresses causing death by reckless or dangerous driving. This section is commonly applied in fatal accidents in Malaysia where a driver is alleged to have acted in a manner that fell below the standard of care expected. The penalty upon conviction can include imprisonment and a fine, reflecting the seriousness of causing death through negligent driving.

Malaysian traffic law requires all road users, including emergency vehicles, to ensure they can proceed through an intersection safely. While emergency vehicles may be granted right of way when responding to urgent calls with lights and sirens, they are still required to do so without endangering other road users. Police are collecting CCTV footage and locating independent witnesses to establish whether the lorry driver's actions constituted reckless or dangerous driving under the Act.

Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 is the primary legal provision applied in Malaysia for fatal accidents involving reckless or dangerous driving.

Who Is This Incident Relevant To in Malaysia?

This incident is directly relevant to all road users and pedestrians in Malaysian urban centres, particularly those in Kuala Lumpur who navigate high-traffic intersections like Maju Junction. For pedestrians, especially families walking near major roads, the case highlights the risk of severe injury or death from out-of-control vehicles even when obeying traffic signals. For drivers, the case raises questions about the legal boundaries of emergency vehicle privileges and the duty of care owed by all motorists.

In the Malaysian context, this incident also concerns the conduct of government department vehicles and the accountability of public servants driving official vehicles. The Immigration Department of Malaysia operates a large fleet of lorries for enforcement operations, and this case may prompt reviews of driver training and operational protocols for emergency responses in dense urban areas like Kuala Lumpur. The involvement of a Proton Saga and an Inokom Matrix, both common Malaysian vehicles, underscores how ordinary road users can be caught in collisions involving official vehicles.

For Malaysian pedestrians and drivers, this case underscores the importance of defensive driving and the legal limits of emergency vehicle right-of-way in urban intersections.

Common Questions

Did the siren give the Immigration lorry the right to cross a red light?

No. Malaysian traffic law requires emergency vehicles to exercise due care at intersections, even with lights and sirens active. The lorry's driver is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, indicating that activating emergency signals does not automatically absolve a driver from liability for dangerous or reckless driving.

What should I do if I have information about this Maju Junction accident?

Police are seeking independent witnesses and CCTV footage to aid the investigation. You should contact the Balai Polis Trafik Jalan Tun H S Lee directly at 03-2071 9999, or any nearby police station, to provide information about the 19 August 2026 incident involving the Immigration Department lorry.

Which hospital were the injured victims taken to after the crash?

The sole survivor, a 55-year-old woman, was taken to the red zone of Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) for emergency treatment. She suffered injuries to her head, right hand, and both legs following the collision that killed her husband and two daughters at the Maju Junction intersection.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on a single primary source: the original Malay-language news report titled "Lori Imigresen langgar lampu merah, tiga sekeluarga maut" published by Careta on 19 August 2026, and sourced from Berita Harian. The original article, available at careta.my, was translated from Malay to English for this report. No currency conversions were required as the source material contains no financial figures. The report includes statements from Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zamzuri Mohd Isa, which are attributed directly. This article was last updated on 19 August 2026. Information specific to Malaysia, including the Road Transport Act 1987 and Malaysian police procedures, was verified against the source article's content.