Kuala lumpur: The Immigration Department is still conducting an internal investigation into safety and standard operating procedures (SOP) relating to the operating of department vehicles following a recent fatal crash along Jalan Sultan Ismail in Kuala Lumpur. Its director-general, Datuk Zakaria Shaaban, said he had yet to receive a report on the investigation and had left it to the police for further action as they were investigating the matter.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Datuk Zakaria emphasized the department's focus on evaluating compliance with existing SOPs. "Our main focus is to look at compliance to SOP and such. If there are violations or SOPs that need improvement, we will take action to improve so that such incidents don't recur," he mentioned during a media conference held after a department operation today.

The crash occurred on October 19 when an unoccupied department Black Maria lorry, with its beacon and siren activated, ran a red light, collided with a Proton Saga, skidded, and hit a family of four. The tragic incident resulted in three fatalities and left one person severely injured. The driver of the vehicle is currently facing five charges related to the crash and was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court the following day.

In a separate incident, Zakaria reported that five out of 11 immigrants who escaped from the Tanah Merah Immigration Depot in Kelantan on August 23 have been recaptured. "There are six more who we are still tracking down," he stated briefly.