Driver fined RM150 for failing to stop at police roadblock

KUCHING: A 64-year-old man was fined RM150 by a magistrate’s court here yesterday for refusing to obey instructions by a policeman to stop at a roadblock last week.

Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi also ordered the accused, Tan Thiam Yuan @ Tan Thiam Guan, who pleaded guilty to the offence, to be jailed for a week if he failed to pay the fine.

The businessman was charged with committing the offence at 6.55pm on Sept 15 at a roadblock in Kuching-Samarahan Highway.

According to the facts of the case, a policeman stopped a vehicle driven by the accused and asked for his identification document.

After handing over his MyKad to the policeman, the accused sped away without the document.

He was later arrested at Jalan Wan Abdul Rahman in Simpang Tiga here and brought to the police station for questioning.

It was said that the accused did not properly hear the instructions given by the policeman to stop at the roadside.

He also claimed to have misinterpreted the policeman’s hand gesture and thought he had been asked to drive through.

The accused said he did not realise that his MyKad was not returned because other documents were already returned to him.

He was charged under Section 21(2) of the Police Act 1967 which provides for a fine not more than RM200 or jail of not more than three months or both on conviction.

Prosecuting was Inspector Nur Syafiqa Nyaie Ilin while the accused was not represented.