From:
Date: 11 Dec 1999
Time: 21:55:40
New Malaysia deputy minister injured in car crash, wife killed
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (AFP) - Malaysia's new deputy education minister Abdul Aziz Samsuddin was slightly injured and his wife was killed in a car crash Saturday, just a day after he was appointed. The official Bernama news agency quoted police as saying Asmah Ali Hussain died on the spot, while Aziz and his son Nafrizal, 27, were slightly hurt in the crash some 30 km (19 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur.
Aziz, 62, was formerly political secretary to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. His appointment as deputy minister was announced Friday as part of a new cabinet line-up.
He was made a member of the upper house senate a month ago.
Bernama said Aziz and his wife and son had visited his mother's grave in the northern state of Perak Saturday and were travelling back to Kuala Lumpur.
Police said the vehicle, driven by the son, was believed to have crashed into a divider on the North-South Highway near Rawang before plunging into a ditch.
Mahathir and his wife, along with Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his wife, have visited the family home to pay last respects to Asmah.