Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said a preliminary investigation report would be ready next week from a special team led by KTMB investigating the accident.

“If there are elements of negligence, we will suspend the driver. This offence should not have happened. Errors due to negligence are very serious and warrant stern action,” he said.

Three passengers were slightly injured in the collision when the south-bound Ekspres Rakyat from Butterworth and the Ipoh-bound ETS trains collided at Km 322 near the Kuala Kubu Baharu station.

In a separate matter, Liow said the search continues for the wreckage of the Eurocopter AS350 helicopter which crashed on May 6, killing six people, including deputy minister Noriah Kasnon.

“As the location of the crash surrounds Sungai Batang Lupar where the bodies were found, we are outlining a specific area for the search operation. On the first day of the incident, we covered 2,000sq km, followed by 800sq km on the second day. We will continue to divide into zones in the search operation,” he said.

The helicopter departed from Betong and headed to Kuching at 4.12pm before losing contact. Not long after, it went missing.

Also killed were Noriah’s husband, Asmuni Abdullah, Kuala Kangsar MP Wan Muhammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, ministry secretary-general Dr Sundaran Annamalai, Noriah’s bodyguard Ahmad Sobri Harun and Filipino pilot Rudolf Rex Ragas.

– BERNAMA