Kulai police chief Tok Beng Yeow said the crash, which occurred at about 9.30pm, involved an express bus, a car and a lorry.

The bus driver, aged 65, died at the scene from serious head and body injuries, Tok said in a statement.

He said those injured were passengers on the bus. The drivers of the lorry and the car escaped unhurt.

“Preliminary investigations found that the crash occurred after the lorry driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to skid and crash into the road’s divider.

“The bus, which was headed in the same direction, could not stop in time and hit the lorry before veering towards the left side of the road into a drain. A car was also involved in the accident,” he said.

Kulai fire and rescue station operations commander Fairuz Helmi Ali said 22 firemen went to the scene after receiving a distress call at 10.17pm.

“The bus driver, identified as Ismail Tapah, was confirmed dead (at the scene) by medical officers. The injured victims were taken to a nearby hospital,” Fairuz Helmi said in a statement.