Poultry seller enters not guilty plea

BALIK PULAU: A poultry seller was charged at the magistrate’s court here yesterday with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and causing serious injuries to a marathon marshal two years ago.

Tan Boon Pew, 36, recorded his not guilty plea when the charge was read to him before magistrate Nur Azzuin Abdul Moati.

He is alleged to have committed the offence in Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah at 4.10am on Dec 9, 2018.

He was charged under Section 44(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), which carries a maximum 10 years’ jail term and a fine upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Rais Imran Hamid prosecuted, while the accused was represented by counsel Willie Ong.

Rais Imran asked the court to grant bail at RM10,000 and fixed a date for documents submission.

Ong, however, requested to the court to lower the bail, saying his client earned RM2,500 monthly and had to take care of his parents.

Nur Azzuin then set bail at RM8,000 with one surety and ordered that Tan’s driving licence be suspended until the end of his case.

She set Feb 21 for mention. It was reported that a Form Four student, who is a substitute runner in the Penang Amateur Athletic Association (PAAA) Annual Round The Island Relay, broke both his legs after he was involved in the pre-dawn accident.

The 16-year-old was the pillion rider of a motorcycle, which was rammed from behind by a car in Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah here during the mishap.

The motorcycle rider, identified as Lee Foo Beng, 51, who is also one of the marshals for the marathon, sustained injuries to the head.

The impact of the crash was so strong that the teenager and Lee were thrown off the motorcycle and landed on the other side of the road.

The car skidded and crashed into a road divider after ramming into the rear of the motorcycle.