A car driven by a 22-year-old slammed into a group of 16 teenagers who were cycling along the Middle Ring Road in Johor Bahru. Police believe the driver was neither drunk nor speeding but have detained her for investigations.

In a Facebook post, Sultan Ibrahim and Permaisuri of Johor, Raja Zarith Sofia Sultan Idris Shah expressed their deepest condolences to the family.

“I am shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic and needless loss of lives. I wish to remind parents to constantly watch over their children, especially their activities after dark. It is better to fuss over them now then cry when they are gone.”

Sultan Ibrahim visited the victim’s families and called on the police and local authorities to step up checks to avoid a repeat of such accidents.

Meanwhile Harian Metro quoted Sultan Ibrahim as saying he understood the feelings of the victim’s families.

“I myself have lost a child and I understand your feelings,” he said. In Dec 2015, Tunku Abdul Jalil Sultan Ibrahim, who was Sultan Ibrahim’s fourth child, died after battling cancer. He was 25.

So far, police investigations showed that the teenagers – aged between 13 and 17 – were in the middle of the road, which was dark at the time, when the car rammed into them.

Six of them died on the spot while the other two died on the way to the Hospital Sultanah Aminah.