Kluang police chief Bahrin Noh said the 19-year-old had been driving a Mercedes-Benz E240 and was believed to have been racing his brother, Goh Yi Sheng, 22, who was driving a BMW.

He said that in the 1.19pm crash on the Johor Bahru-Ayer Hitam road, Goh lost control of his BMW, crossed into the opposite lane and collided with a Perodua Alza, Toyota Vios, Proton Wira 1.5, and his brother’s Mercedes-Benz.

The four occupants of the Vios – Aiman Rashid, 36, Nur Airish Syifa Sidek, 10, Nor Azlina Abd Latif, 33, and Semek Mat Soh, 73 – were pronounced dead at the scene. Goh died from severe chest injuries while being transported to hospital.

The other eight people involved in the crash were rushed to Enche Besar Hajjah Khalsom Hospital in Kluang for treatment.

Bahrin said the case is being investigated under Sections 42(1) and 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which cover reckless and dangerous driving and death caused as a result of such driving.