Do not speculate on death of Libaran Warisan chief – Police
SANDAKAN: Police have warned the public against speculating on the death of Warisan Libaran Division chief here yesterday.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Ramli Din said parties that viralised and spread fake news on the incident would be taken action against, including under the Anti-Fake News Act.
“Don’t make any speculations that could cause tension in light of the fact that the victim is a political party member. It was an accident which happened because the driver of the car that hit the victim, made a mistake,” he told a media conference here yesterday.
Aris Malayu, 55, was having breakfast with a friend at a restaurant in Bandar Utama, Batu 6 near here, around 9.30am when he was mowed down by a car. He was sitting with two other men on a table placed outside the restaurant.
Aris was pinned between the vehicle and a concrete wall and was pronounced dead at the scene from broken ribs.
Ramli said the driver of the Honda CRV was attempting to park the car in front of the restaurant and had stopped for a short while before speeding in.
Initial investigations revealed the woman aged 61 wanted to press on the brake but accidentally pressed the accelerator pedal instead.
The medical officer in the ambulance which arrived at the premises at 10.25 am confirmed the victim died at the scene.
The post-mortem conducted by Duchess of Kent Hospital found that the victim suffered a broken left rib which pierced his heart.
Ramli said the driver of the car was being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
District police chief ACP Mohd Azhar Hamin said police were investigating the witnesses who were at the scene.
“Police investigation revealed the lady driver of the Honda CRV was entering a parking space, in front of the restaurant, when she accidently stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake.
“This caused the vehicle to move forward at high speed up the curb and hit the victim who was sitting just in front of the parking space,” he said yesterday.
Police have dismissed any foul play involved in the case and have detained the 61-year-old driver for investigation.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 which carries a maximum punishment of RM20,000 fine and ten years imprisonment, if found guilty.
Aris was the Libaran division head for Parti Warisan Sabah and was also the proposer in the 14th general election for Irwanshah Mustapa, a candidate for P184 Libaran parliament seat.