PC technician charged with drink-driving
GEORGE TOWN: A computer technician plead not guilty to a drink-driving charge under the newly gazetted Road Transport (Amendment) Act at the Magistrate’s Court here.
Saw Yen Yew, 21, is the first person in Penang to be charged under the amended Act, which now carries a jail term of up to two years, a maximum fine of RM30,000 and a driving licence revocation for two years or more.
The original punishment under Section 45A(1) of Road Transport Act 1987 carried a fine of between RM1,000 and RM6,000 or jail not exceeding 12 months.
Saw is charged with riding his motorbike under the influence of alcohol at 2.55am on Sunday along the Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway.
Magistrate Rosnee Mohd Radzuan set bail at RM10,000 in one surety and fixed Nov 27 for case management.
Earlier, Inspector Erma Yanti Abdul Rahim, who is acting as the deputy public prosecutor, requested for bail to be set at RM8,000 in line with the seriousness of the offence.
Lawyer Mohd Ismail Mohamed asked for a lower bail as his client is just a young man.
The Road Transport (Amendment) Act which came into force last Friday has seen nine other individuals, including a woman, in Johor Baru charged under it.