Former driver jailed, fined for causing death of six on North-South Expressway

KUALA KUBU BARU: A former trailer driver was sentenced to five years' jail and fined RM10,000, in default 12 months' jail, by the magistrate's court here today, after he was found guilty of driving in a dangerous and reckless manner which resulted in a crash that killed six family members on the North-South Expressway last year.
Judge Zulhelmy Hasan, who sat as a magistrate, handed down the sentence on Muhammad Syahrul Nizam Anuar, 28, after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubts against the prosecution's case.
The court is satisfied with the prosecution's case against the accused, he said.
Muhammad Syahrul also lost his eligibility to drive for three years and his driving licence is to be endorsed with the conviction.
The court however, allowed a stay of the sentence pending an appeal at the High Court , following an application by Muhammad Syahrul's lawyer, L. Raj, and raised Muhammad Syahrul's bail from RM10,000 to RM50,000, in one surety.
Muhammad Syahrul, who was in the dock and appeared calm, was also ordered to report himself to the nearest police station once a month pending the disposal of the case.
Meanwhile, in mitigation, Raj said it was his client's first offence and that it was an accident.
Deputy public prosecutor Khairulazhwa Yusrie Mohamad, when asking for a sentence which took into factor public interests, said the accused was alleged to be driving the trailer in a dangerous manner.
His reckless driving caused the deaths of Lam Wai Loon, 46, his wife, Wong Check Lee, 53, and their sons, Lam Jie Yang, 19, and Lam Jie Yong, 13. They died at the scene.
Also killed in the crash were Wai Loon's father, Lam Leong Choy, 76, and brother, Lam Wai Keat, 38.
Muhammad Syahrul, who has a six-year-old daughter, was charged with committing the offence at Kilometre 403.2 of the North-South Expressway (north bound) at 7.46am on April 2, 2017.
The charge, under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, provides an imprisonment for up to 10 years and fine of up to RM20,000, upon conviction.
Lawyer Azinuddin Karim held a watching brief for the family of the victims.
The victims were on their way to visit their ancestors' graves in Bidor, Perak, when the trailer, with Muhammad Syahrul at the wheel, skidded and then crashed on a SsangYong sports utility vehicle which the family members were travelling in, near the Tanjung Malim toll plaza. — Bernama