TAIPING, June 10 -- The driver of the ill-fated bus that crashed and killed 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students yesterday has apologised and denied claims he was speeding.

Mohd Amirul Fadhil Zulkifle said the incident was caused by sudden brake failure while descending a hilly stretch on the East-West Highway, near the elephant crossing bridge in Gerik, Harian Metro reported today.

"I apologise to all the victims' families and the students involved in the accident yesterday morning. What happened was because the bus brakes suddenly failed," he was quoted as saying from his hospital bed at Taiping Hospital, Perak.

He said the bus - which departed from Terengganu for the main UPSI campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak - was fu...