Updated 4:36pm, 17 April 2009
KUALA LUMPUR, 17 April 2009: The driver of the double-decker bus which crashed near Rawang on 13 April, taking six lives, was charged in the Selayang Magistrate’s Court here today with reckless driving.
Fauzi Muhamad, 33, pleaded not guilty to committing the offence at Km442.9 of the North-South Expressway at 5am on 13 April.
The six people killed in the crash were C Magenthiran, 26, Mohd Yusril Zakaria, 27, Mohd Zaher Mohamed, 33, Muhamad Ismail, 27, Zulkhibri Md Saad, 35, and Muhamad Fauzi Awang, 44.
If convicted under the Road Transport Act 1987 he could be jailed up to 10 years, fined up to RM20,000 and be disqualified from driving for at least three years.
Prosecuting officer Insp Abd Raheem Eliyas asked for bail to be set at RM10,000 with one surety but Fauzi’s father, Muhamad Abdul Karim, appealed for a lower amount saying that he was only a casual worker and had four children to support.
Magistrate Muhammad Najib Ismail allowed bail of RM5,000 with one surety and fixed 20 May for mention to enable Fauzi to engage counsel. He also ordered that Fauzi’s driving licence be suspended.
Meanwhile, in BATU PAHAT, the driver of an express bus which was involved in an accident with a car at Km16 Jalan Kluang-Batu Pahat yesterday in which the car driver and her two children burnt to death was charged in the Magistrate’s Court with driving in a reckless manner and causing their deaths.
Nor Bari Bulat, 46, pleaded not guilty to causing the deaths of Siti Kalsom Borhan, 35, Sahira Aliya Haffiz Akmal, 6, and Sahira Aishah Haffiz Akmal, 3, at about 11.50pm.
Majistrate Azureen Sahira Sauffee Afandi allowed bail of RM7,500 with one surety, suspended his driving licence and fixed 22 May for mention pending the port-mortem and vehicle inspection reports and to enable Nor Bari to engage counsel.
Chief Insp S.Raja Kumar appeared for the prosecution. — Bernama
konghu says
He is only a driver. The one that approved the plans for double-decker buses should be punished. Not only the driver. Is the JPJ involved in the approval? Personally, I feel our drivers are yet to make the mark to drive these vehicles (double-decker bus).They even crashed normal buses. I see many of these double-decker buses on the road. We are getting the commercial drivers to attend courses on safety but first the foremost get the double-decker buses off the road!
yeen says
The bus driver seems to be the scapegoat of the whole issue of who is responsible. The bus company? Why is it in the first place JPJ approves double-decker buses in Malaysia for long distance drives without considering other factors? Like road suitability, gradient of slope along the road, drivers’ ability to drive this kind of bus, distance covered etc. I feel sorry for the driver.