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Joseph Sipalan

Malaysia’s transport minister has been accused of victim-blaming after saying that a child seat could have saved a baby who died in a multiple vehicle pile-up at a toll plaza that shocked the country.
One-year-old Amir Husayn was killed at the scene of the Saturday crash at the Bukit Kajang toll plaza, about 30km from Kuala Lumpur.
He was thrown out of his parents’ car and was crushed under another vehicle.
Viral videos showed a three-tonne truck charging at speed towards one of the gates at the toll plaza, colliding with three waiting vehicles.
Photos of the aftermath showed at least one of the cars crushed to half its original length.
On Monday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated that the video clearly showed the vehicle’s brakes had failed, and police confirmed that the driver had jumped out before the crash to save himself.
Loke also said police had confirmed his ministry’s finding that the infant was not placed in a child seat.

“Imagine if there was a child seat, the infant would not have been thrown out and possibly could have been saved,” he told a news conference.
Loke’s comments immediately sparked public anger, with many on social media accusing him of shifting the blame from the truck’s mechanical failure to the victims of the crash.
The criticism highlights a long-standing public grievance over the lack of enforcement against reckless driving and fatal incidents involving heavy vehicles on Malaysian roads.
Nearly 1,500 people died in the past six years in accidents involving heavy vehicles, according to a recent study by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research. This equates to roughly one fatality every 36 hours.
“Should ask why the truck driver left the truck and didn’t divert the truck to other empty lanes to avoid the tragedy! Stop blaming the victims!” read a Facebook comment by PS Seah.
Others also raised the alleged lack of empathy in Loke’s statement, arguing that the parents should be given time to grieve over their loss.
“Blame the truck, blame the sun, blame the concrete barrier, blame the [sign post] for all I care, they did not lose a child,” read a Facebook post by Rizal Razman criticising Loke.

The government made child car seats mandatory in January 2020, but enforcement has been delayed since then due to widespread complaints from parents over the additional cost, especially for families with multiple children.
Loke said car seats provided additional safety features that could “guarantee” children’s safety, noting the seats typically catered to children aged 12 and younger.
Police said 779 people aged 18 or younger died on the road between January and September last year, mostly while riding motorcycles.
“I am not blaming the victims or the parents, but this is a reminder to all … when incidents like this happen, it proves the importance of a child seat.”


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Malaysia outraged as minister accused of victim-blaming after baby killed in crash

A screenshot of the scene of a crash on Saturday at the Bukit Kajang toll plaza in Malaysia. Photo: Handout

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Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke has been criticised for suggesting a car seat could have saved a baby who died in a multiple vehicle pile-up at a toll plaza. Photo: Xinhua

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Transport Minister Anthony Loke suggested a child seat could have saved an infant killed at a toll plaza, sparking immediate public outrage


Transport Minister Anthony Loke suggested a child seat could have saved an infant killed at a toll plaza, sparking immediate public outrage.


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Malaysia outraged as minister accused of victim-blaming after baby killed in crash

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Transport Minister Anthony Loke suggested a child seat could have saved an infant killed at a toll plaza, sparking immediate public outrage

Transport Minister Anthony Loke suggested a child seat could have saved an infant killed at a toll plaza, sparking immediate public outrage