According to a report by the Malay Mail Online, the 4.15am incident saw the Serdang-bound pickup truck swerving from the fast lane and hitting the back of the lorry, where workers were seated at the rear end, collecting traffic cones after painting the road.

Firemen later extricated the body of 22-year-old R Karthik, who was in the front passenger seat, after the driver of the pickup truck and his friend took off, thinking they had hit the workers.

“We believe the two men panicked and fled when they saw construction workers crowding around the wreckage,” said City traffic police investigation and legal staff officer DSP S Markandan.

He said the impact of the collision had seriously injured the front passenger, who died at the scene, while the other two likely escaped with minor injuries.

Markandan said that police have launched a search for them.

“Checks done at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, University Malaya Medical Centre and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre did not show any records of the men seeking outpatient treatment,” he said, following witness claims that the two men may have gone to seek treatment at a hospital.

He said police were investigating the relationship between the two men and the vehicle owner, and if the driver who had fled, was intoxicated.

Karthik’s body was sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a post-mortem.

According to Markandan, there were no skid marks on the highway leading to the point of impact, and that the construction workers were all wearing reflective attire.

“Conditions at that time were not hazardous as it was not raining, and traffic was light,” he said.

Investigations show the pickup truck is registered to a woman in Puchong, with multiple traffic offences under her name.

The lorry driver and construction workers were not injured.