KAMPAR - A 41-year-old bus driver has claimed trial to a reckless driving charge that resulted in the death of a female passenger on Wednesday (Dec 6) on the North-South Expressway (NSE) near Gopeng, Perak.
N. Shasi Kumar was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 which carries a minimum jail term of two years and RM5,000 (S$1,652) fine, the Malay Mail Online reported on Thursday.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Oon Kork Chern proposed a bail of RM10,000 and that Shasi Kumar's driving licence be handed over to court pending the resolution of the case.
The accused was represented by lawyer Nurafiqah Abd Aziz who appealed for a lower bail, saying her client was the sole breadwinner in his family.
"Aside from his wife, he needs to take care of his four children aged between 1½ and 12 years old," she said.
The double-decker bus from Five Stars Express travelling from Singapore crashed into a trailer on Wednesday at about 5.45am at Km294.7 north-bound of the NSE. It was also hit from the rear when a container lorry travelling behind it could not stop in time.
Passenger Chan Kwai Fah, 43, was killed and 13 others injured, according to Malay Mail Online.
Magistrate Nur Faizah Muhamad Saleh set bail at RM5,000 with one surety and fixed a mention for the case on Dec 28.
