KUCHING, June 17: A 17-year-old boy who caused a fatal crash that claimed five lives earlier this year has been ordered to serve six years at the Henry Gurney School by the Magistrate’s Court here today.
Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan also imposed a RM1,500 fine on the teenager after he pleaded guilty to two charges, reckless driving causing death and driving without a valid license.
For the first charge, the teenager was convicted under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving that resulted in the deaths of five individuals. The second charge, framed under Section 39(1) of the same Act, was for driving without a license as he was underaged at the time of the offence.
The prosecution, led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Fadzri Azham Zainudin, pressed for a heavy sentence, citing the increasing number of serious road accidents involving young drivers in Kuching.
He argued that the accused showed no remorse and that a deterrent sentence was necessary in the interest of public safety.
The incident took place at approximately 1:10 p.m. on January 14, along Jalan Teo Kui Seng (Stutong Baru).
According to case facts, the teenager lost control of the car while driving from Jalan Lapangan Terbang, veering into the opposite lane before crashing into several vehicles.
Dashcam footage of the horrific crash, which later went viral on social media, showed the vehicle spinning out of control before colliding with cars coming from the opposite direction.
Five victims, aged between 16 and 45, were killed in the crash, comprising three men, a woman, and a teenage boy.
In a related case, the teenager’s 35-year-old father was fined RM15,000 last month or face 12 months in prison for allowing his underaged, unlicensed son to drive the vehicle.
He was also sentenced to perform 100 hours of community service within six months under Section 33(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001. – TVS
