Gerik police chief Zulkifli Mahmood said they found no negligence on the part of the driver based on their preliminary investigations, Bernama reported.

He revealed that the area was foggy at the time of the incident, which occurred at 2.50am. He also noted that the road lacked street lighting.

Zulkifli was previously reported to have said that the 28-year-old lorry driver, who was heading to Jeli from Gerik, claimed that he saw a large elephant at the side of the highway, and shortly after, the calf suddenly attempted to cross the road.

The driver told police that he was unable to avoid the animal and crashed into it, killing it on the spot.

A viral video on social media showed an emotional scene of a mother elephant attempting to move the truck that had hit her baby. She remained at the site for over five hours, trying to “save” her calf, a heartbreaking display that touched the hearts of many.