Three deaths in Mentakab collision: Trailer driver pleaded not guilty

TEMERLOH: A trailer driver pleaded not guilty at the magistrate's court here today to driving recklessly, which caused three deaths in Mentakab on Sunday.
A. Kumar, 31, made the plea after the charge was read out in Tamil before magistrate Nordiana Abd Aziz.
Kumar was alleged to have committed the offence when driving the trailer with registration number BPB 5411 at 9.30am, June 24 at Kilometre 149, Jalan Kuala Lumpur-Kuantan here.
He was charged with causing the death of two siblings Khasrul Haizal Mohd Yusof, 20, and Khasrul Ikwan, 18, and Chua Jyh Shyong, 37.
The charge is framed under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333) and provides an imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to RM20,000, upon conviction.
Counsel Tan Yu Tang from the National Legal Aid Foundation appealed for a reduction in the RM10,000 bail offered by the prosecution as the accused was providing for his unemployed wife and mother.
"He worked as a driver earning RM2,500 a month," she said.
Nordiana then set bail at RM7,000 with one surety on condition that his driver's license was suspended until the case was completed.
She also fixed July 11 for re-mention and for the accused to appoint a lawyer.
Prosecuting officer ASP Marina Hashim appeared for the prosecution.
Last Sunday, the media reported three people were killed in a collision involving the trailer, a Toyota Hilux pickup truck and a Proton Exora MPV.
Khasrul Haizal and Khasrul Ikhwan were the passengers of the Proton Exora with six other family members on a fishing trip to Klau Dam, Raub.
Chua, who owned an information technology (IT) company, was driving to Kuala Lumpur. — Bernama