A Road Transport Department (RTD) enforcement vehicle has been overturned and burnt by angry people after a severe road accident that damaged 10 vehicles at Ayer Tawar, Perak.
Manjung deputy OCPD Ahmad Mat Isa told Malaysiakini that 15 people suffered minor injuries in the accident, but none were hospitalised.
Manjung deputy OCPD Ahmad Mat Isa told Malaysiakini that 15 people suffered minor injuries in the accident, but none were hospitalised.
He also confirmed that there had been no deaths in the incident.
The accident happened this afternoon after school ended at Jalan Beruas-Ayer Tawar involving an RTD four-wheel-drive enforcement vehicle, two school buses, two lorries, one motorbike and four cars.
An eyewitness has uploaded an eight-minute video toFacebook showing a group of furious people shouting and throwing objects at the four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Then the mob took matters into their own hands and overturned the vehicle, before two traffic policemen arrived to try to stop them.
However, the police presence failed to defuse the anger and the crowd proceeded to break the vehicle's windows, accompanied by angry shouts of "bakar!" (burn).
After an object was thrown at the overturned four-wheel-drive vehicle, it caught fire, forcing the crowd to draw back.
Soon afterwards, several firemen came and put out the fire.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the accident was caused by the RTD patrol car which tried to intercept a lorry recklessly, but this has been denied by Ahmad, who argued that the patrol car was hit by the lorry.
The accident happened this afternoon after school ended at Jalan Beruas-Ayer Tawar involving an RTD four-wheel-drive enforcement vehicle, two school buses, two lorries, one motorbike and four cars.An eyewitness has uploaded an eight-minute video toFacebook showing a group of furious people shouting and throwing objects at the four-wheel-drive vehicle.
Then the mob took matters into their own hands and overturned the vehicle, before two traffic policemen arrived to try to stop them.
However, the police presence failed to defuse the anger and the crowd proceeded to break the vehicle's windows, accompanied by angry shouts of "bakar!" (burn).
After an object was thrown at the overturned four-wheel-drive vehicle, it caught fire, forcing the crowd to draw back.
Soon afterwards, several firemen came and put out the fire.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the accident was caused by the RTD patrol car which tried to intercept a lorry recklessly, but this has been denied by Ahmad, who argued that the patrol car was hit by the lorry.
Hours after the incident, at least three video postings made were uploaded on Facebook and scores of pictures and comments had gone viral as they were posted on the Internet. Scores of people were seen taking pictures and videos with their handphones.
Malaysiakini has tried to obtain comments from Perak RTD director Ramli Awang Seberang, but a staff member said as soon the director came to know about the incident, he had left a meeting he was chairing to get further information.
Following this, Malaysiakini had left its number with the director’s office for him to contact and comment.
Malaysiakini has tried to obtain comments from Perak RTD director Ramli Awang Seberang, but a staff member said as soon the director came to know about the incident, he had left a meeting he was chairing to get further information.
Following this, Malaysiakini had left its number with the director’s office for him to contact and comment.
Witnesses: RTD patrol car caused accident
However, the police have denied the allegation, stating that the RTD patrol car, which had stopped at the traffic lights, was hit at the back by the lorry.
Ngeh Koo Ham, the local MP who arrived at the accident scene soon after it happened, was told by eyewitnesses that the RTD four-wheel-drive vehicle crossed the road divider to intercept a lorry coming from the opposite direction.
The sudden act caused the lorry, which was allegedly overloaded with oil palm, to brake abruptly and created a pile-up on the road, he toldMalaysiakini when contacted today.
According to the police, 10 vehicles - the RTD patrol car, two schoolbuses, two lorries, one motorbike and four cars, were damaged in the accident.
Ngeh said one of the 10 vehicles, a green Kancil, caught fire after hitting another vehicle.
“Fortunately two Chinese men and an Indian man broke the car door and saved a Malay woman who was trapped in the car, and put out the fire.
“The crowd was very angry and demanded the RTD officers to be responsible for such dangerous action. They then smashed the RTD vehicle, overturned it and set it on fire. The situation was not rowdy, they were just angry,” said the Beruas MP and Perak DAP chief.
After the fire was put out and the RTD vehicle was turned back on its wheels, according to Ngeh, the angry crowd refused to allow the authorities to remove the burnt vehicle without providing a satisfactory explanation.
“They then overturned the vehicle for a second time.”
Eyewitness accounts similar to that told by Ngeh, together with photographs and videos of the incident, have been uploaded and shared on social media.
Ngeh explained that the local community uproar was a culmination of a long period of ‘oppression’ by both the police and RTD officers.
He claimed that local businesses, including lorry operators and drivers, have been forced to pay monthly bribes to police and RTD enforcement officers, failing which they would be victimised.
“The routine payment was done in the open... I have raised the issue in Parliament but it was not addressed.
‘Tension has been building up’
“Hence tension has been building up in this area. I urge the government to immediately resolve this issue,” he added.
Manjung district deputy police chief Ahmad Mat Isa confirmed toMalaysiakini that 15 people suffered minor injuries in the accident.
He denied the rumour that four people had died in the accident, clarifying that no death has been reported, and no students were among the injured because the two buses involved were not carrying any students.
Ahmad rebutted that the three RTD officers in the four-wheel-drive vehicle were acting recklessly and the trio did not attempt to intercept the lorry.
On the contrary, he claimed the trio was on their way back to Manjung from the Ipoh RTD office.
Their patrol vehicle stopped in front of a traffic light in front of a school at Ayer Tawar, but a lorry behind hit their vehicle, causing other vehicles behind the lorry to pile up, said Ahmad.
If the three officers were performing enforcement duty, there should have been enforcement tools such as traffic cones in the car.
“According to their police report and our investigation, the car has no such items (nothing).”
He explained that the trio fled the scene after being surrounded by a crowd of people. They took public transport to get to the Seri Manjung police station to lodge a report.
The police are still probing the overturning of the patrol car and who were the culprits, Ahmad added.
The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code for committing mischief and Section 43 of Road Transport Act 1987 for dangerous driving.
Witnesses: RTD patrol car caused accident
Eyewitnesses of the severe road accident in which 15 people were injured and 10 vehicles damaged at Ayer Tawar, Perak this afternoon claimed that it was caused by a reckless Road Transport Department (RTD) patrol car which tried to intercept a lorry.
Eyewitnesses of the severe road accident in which 15 people were injured and 10 vehicles damaged at Ayer Tawar, Perak this afternoon claimed that it was caused by a reckless Road Transport Department (RTD) patrol car which tried to intercept a lorry.
However, the police have denied the allegation, stating that the RTD patrol car, which had stopped at the traffic lights, was hit at the back by the lorry.
Ngeh Koo Ham, the local MP who arrived at the accident scene soon after it happened, was told by eyewitnesses that the RTD four-wheel-drive vehicle crossed the road divider to intercept a lorry coming from the opposite direction.The sudden act caused the lorry, which was allegedly overloaded with oil palm, to brake abruptly and created a pile-up on the road, he toldMalaysiakini when contacted today.
According to the police, 10 vehicles - the RTD patrol car, two schoolbuses, two lorries, one motorbike and four cars, were damaged in the accident.
Ngeh said one of the 10 vehicles, a green Kancil, caught fire after hitting another vehicle.
“Fortunately two Chinese men and an Indian man broke the car door and saved a Malay woman who was trapped in the car, and put out the fire.
“The crowd was very angry and demanded the RTD officers to be responsible for such dangerous action. They then smashed the RTD vehicle, overturned it and set it on fire. The situation was not rowdy, they were just angry,” said the Beruas MP and Perak DAP chief.
After the fire was put out and the RTD vehicle was turned back on its wheels, according to Ngeh, the angry crowd refused to allow the authorities to remove the burnt vehicle without providing a satisfactory explanation.
“They then overturned the vehicle for a second time.”
Eyewitness accounts similar to that told by Ngeh, together with photographs and videos of the incident, have been uploaded and shared on social media.
Ngeh explained that the local community uproar was a culmination of a long period of ‘oppression’ by both the police and RTD officers.
He claimed that local businesses, including lorry operators and drivers, have been forced to pay monthly bribes to police and RTD enforcement officers, failing which they would be victimised.
“The routine payment was done in the open... I have raised the issue in Parliament but it was not addressed.
‘Tension has been building up’
“Hence tension has been building up in this area. I urge the government to immediately resolve this issue,” he added.
Manjung district deputy police chief Ahmad Mat Isa confirmed toMalaysiakini that 15 people suffered minor injuries in the accident.
He denied the rumour that four people had died in the accident, clarifying that no death has been reported, and no students were among the injured because the two buses involved were not carrying any students.Ahmad rebutted that the three RTD officers in the four-wheel-drive vehicle were acting recklessly and the trio did not attempt to intercept the lorry.
On the contrary, he claimed the trio was on their way back to Manjung from the Ipoh RTD office.
Their patrol vehicle stopped in front of a traffic light in front of a school at Ayer Tawar, but a lorry behind hit their vehicle, causing other vehicles behind the lorry to pile up, said Ahmad.
If the three officers were performing enforcement duty, there should have been enforcement tools such as traffic cones in the car.“According to their police report and our investigation, the car has no such items (nothing).”
He explained that the trio fled the scene after being surrounded by a crowd of people. They took public transport to get to the Seri Manjung police station to lodge a report.
The police are still probing the overturning of the patrol car and who were the culprits, Ahmad added.
The case is being investigated under Section 427 of the Penal Code for committing mischief and Section 43 of Road Transport Act 1987 for dangerous driving.
VIDEO 2 | 2:06
VIDEO 3 | 8:24
PHOTO GALLERY
The videos and photo gallery have been provided by Netizens.
VIDEO 3 | 8:24
PHOTO GALLERY
The videos and photo gallery have been provided by Netizens.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.