PETALING JAYA: A petition calling for the release of Sam Ke Ting, who was jailed yesterday over the Johor Bahru “basikal lajak” (modified bicycle) case, has drawn almost 250,000 signatures in the last 24 hours.
The petition, created by Change.org, aims to obtain 300,000 signatures in hopes of getting the 27-year-old sales clerk’s sentence overturned.
“We Malaysians are horrified by the new sentence of Sam, where facts supported that she was a responsible driver, the real victim in this accident,” it said, adding that the victims’ parents should not have allowed them to roam the streets at 3am.
Sam was sentenced by the Johor Bahru High Court yesterday to six years’ jail and a fine of RM6,000, or six months’ jail in default, for reckless driving in connection with the death of the eight teenagers five years ago.
She was also barred from driving for three years, effective immediately after she completes her prison sentence.
Judge Abu Bakar Katar rejected her lawyer’s request for a stay of execution pending her appeal to the Court of Appeal and ordered her to begin her sentence immediately.
Sam was acquitted and discharged by the magistrates’ court in Johor Bahru on Oct 28, 2019 at the end of the prosecution’s case without her defence being called.
However, on Feb 18, 2021, the High Court ordered her to enter her defence after allowing an appeal by the prosecution. On Oct 10, 2021, the magistrates’ court again acquitted and discharged her.
The prosecution then appealed again at the High Court.
Sam, who was 22 at the time of the incident, was charged under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of RM20,000, upon conviction.
The eight victims were aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the incident. - FMT
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