KUALA LUMPUR: A 28-year-old Malaysian driver was charged with murder on Wednesday (Apr 1) for a crash that killed a motorcyclist reportedly on his way to buy a textbook for his son in Klang, Selangor on Sunday.
Saktygaanapathy Ravichandran’s car allegedly struck Amirul Hafiz Omar, 33, on Jalan Raya Barat at about 11.40am on Sunday.
Amirul, a warehouse worker and father of three, was thrown onto another vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
Saktygaanapathy was reportedly driving at a high speed towards Klang town and is believed to have overtaken several vehicles before veering into the opposite lane and colliding head-on with the motorcycle, reported news outlet New Straits Times (NST).
He was remanded on Monday and charged a day before his four-day remand was due to expire. At the Klang district court, he nodded to indicate he understood the charge when it was read.
No plea was taken as murder cases fall under the High Court’s jurisdiction.
If convicted under section 302 of the Penal Code, he faces the death penalty, or a jail term of between 30 and 40 years and at least 12 strokes of the cane.
Separately, Saktygaanapathy pleaded guilty to self-administering benzodiazepine, a depressant, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active ingredient in cannabis. He allegedly committed this offence at about 3.30pm on Mar 29.
Under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, he faces a fine of up to RM5,000 (US$1,240) and up to two years’ in jail, if convicted. He may also be under a supervision order for up to three years, if convicted, Bernama news agency reported.
Amirul’s widow, Nor Nadia Abdul Majid, 32, was in court on Wednesday. “Where is my husband’s killer? I want a life to be repaid with a life”, she reportedly said as she headed into the courtroom.
Her lawyer, Faizi Che Abu, said on Wednesday the family plans to seek RM1 million (US$247,700) in compensation for Amirul’s death, but did not say who the respondents would be, Free Malaysia Today reported.
“I have to fight for justice for my children. I will sue. There must be a heavy punishment – prison is not enough,” Nadia was earlier quoted as saying by Malay Mail.
The couple’s three children are aged between two and nine. Besides his warehouse job, Amirul began working part-time as a delivery rider about two months ago, Malaysian media reported.
The fatal crash has drawn national attention, with Malaysia’s transport ministry drafting amendments to the Road Transport Act to require those convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs to pay compensation to victims’ families.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Monday the compensation would be in addition to a jail sentence under the existing law, and is in line with the ministry’s stance against drink driving, which endangers other road users.
Other recent suspected drink driving cases include one on Tuesday morning, where a man was arrested after his vehicle was involved in an accident that injured six people, including children, on the Kajang-Semenyih bypass.
On Feb 14, a married couple burnt to death in Pahang after their car caught fire following a collision with another car, driven by a man suspected of drink-driving.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-driver-fatal-klang-selangor-crash-murder-charge-motorcyclist-amirul-hafiz-omar-6030721
