Truck driver denies discharging excessive smoke

KOTA KINABALU: A 52-yearold driver claimed trial at the Sessions Court here yesterday to discharging exhaust emission into the atmosphere exceeding the permitted maximum density.

Chua Kok Lip, who appeared before Sessions Court judge Elsie Primus yesterday, denied the charge framed under section 22(1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and punishable under Section 22(3) of the same Act.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum fine of RM100,000 or a jail term of up to five years or both.

Chua, who drove a Toyota truck, was alleged to have emitted smoke into the atmosphere with a density of 98.9% of the smoke at the final point of emission from the exhaust pipe of the vehicle.

The alleged vehicle was tested under the free acceleration test with a smoke meter and had exceeded the permitted maximum density of smoke of 50%.

Chua was alleged to have committed the offence at KM5, Jalan Kota Belud-Kota Kinabalu at 10.16 am on August 10, 2017.

Prosecuting officer from the Environmental Department, Norhazwan Norizan, offered bail to the accused at RM2,000.

Meanwhile, Chua, who was not represented, objected to the bail on the grounds that he came to the court alone from Kota Belud and claimed that he is an employee of a rice mill company in Kota Belud.

The court fixed May 9 for pre-trial case management and released the accused on a bail of RM1,000 in a local surety pending disposal of the case.