A bus carrying over 40 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students crashed into a Perodua Alza in Perak on June 9, killing 15 students and injuring 33 others.
The 39-year-old bus driver broke his silence with an apology and claimed the accident was caused by faulty brakes, while also denying allegations that he was speeding.
“The driver is required to pay for each life lost”
In response, Perlis has since issued a fatwa stating that if an accident happens due to a driver’s negligence, the driver is fully responsible for any harm caused.
For those who don’t know, a fatwa is a formal ruling or interpretation in Islamic law, issued by a qualified scholar called a mufti, usually in response to questions about practical issues in daily life, according to Britannica.
Professor Dr Muhamad Rozaimi Ramle explained that in such cases, the driver must pay diyat (a fixed amount of compensation) for each life lost.
On top of that, the driver is also required to perform kaffarah (a religious act of atonement), which involves fasting for two consecutive months.
“If an accident is caused by a driver’s negligence, then the driver bears full responsibility for all resulting harm. They must pay diyat for each life lost, unless the victim’s family forgives them,” he wrote in a statement.
Professor Dr Muhamad Rozaimi Ramle
“Let the authorities decide on negligence in the UPSI crash”
Rozaimi clarified that the fatwa is a general ruling that applies in cases where an accident is caused by negligence. It was issued nearly three years ago, in 2022, and isn’t specifically related to the recent crash.
“That said, we hope transport companies will be more responsible in choosing qualified drivers, and that the authorities keep working to improve road safety. In Islam, even one life is extremely valuable. As for the recent tragedy involving the UPSI students, we should leave it to the authorities to determine if negligence was a factor,” he said.
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Also read: Survivor Who Was Thrown From Bus Recalls Driver Stopping to Check Brakes Before Fatal UPSI Crash
