KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — The police have reportedly released the Toyota Altis driver who was held for 24 hours for an investigation over a fatal six-vehicle collision yesterday at the North-South Highway (PLUS), which resulted in three female PAS members’ deaths.

According to local daily New Straits Times, Muallim district police chief Superintendent Mohd Hasni Mohd Nasir had said the police would release the driver at around 2pm today following a 24-hour investigation on the 30-year-old man.

Yesterday, local news agency Bernama reported that three PAS party leaders died in a car accident at 2.30pm yesterday at the KM390 of the PLUS highway near Behrang, Perak, namely Sungai Petani PAS women wing chief Taibah Sulaiman, Sungai Petani PAS Wanita Muda special unit chief Fatihah Nabila Bukri and Sungai Petani PAS assistant secretary 1, Nurul Najihah Amzi.

Bernama yesterday reported Mohd Hasni as saying that the three women were returning to Kedah after attending the 69th PAS’ muktamar or annual congress in Shah Alam, Selangor.

He added that the women were travelling in a Toyota Fortuner and had stopped at the emergency lane along with three other drivers to help a crash victim involving a four-wheel drive vehicle bound from Kuala Lumpur to Kedah.

He had said a Toyota Altis had five minutes later come from the same direction on the right lane and lost control and crashed into them, adding that the victims were flung into the drain by the side of the road.

He reportedly said Taibah and Fatihah Nabila had died on the spot and that Nurul Najihah had succumbed to her injuries at the Slim River Hospital, while other victims had minor injuries.

Mohd Hasni yesterday said the Toyota Altis driver had been remanded for 24 hours to assist in investigations under the Road Transport Act’s Section 41(1), which covers the offence of causing death by reckless or dangerous driving.

Those convicted under Section 41(1) can be punished with imprisonment of between five to 10 years, and a fine of between RM20,000 to RM50,000 if it is their first offence.

If convicted again subsequently for the same offence, the punishment is a jail term of between 10 to 15 years, and a fine of between RM50,000 to RM100,000.

Those convicted under Section 41(1) are disqualified from having a driving licence for not less than five years from the date of conviction, and will be disqualified for 10 years if there is a second or subsequent conviction for the same offence.