Lorry driver in crash that killed S’porean family in Port Dickson last year sentenced to 5 years’ jail

SINGAPORE — A 55-year-old lorry driver in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, was sentenced to five years’ jail on Friday (July 19) for reckless driving that resulted in the deaths of four Singaporeans last year.

According to Malaysian daily The Star, P Mani was also ordered by Judge Siti Khairiah Abdul Razak to pay an RM40,000 (S$13,200) fine.

He was charged with causing the deaths of family members Rosli Samad, 53, Maimunah Sapari, 50, and their two children, Nur Amalina, 20, and Dayana Sarah, 17.

According to The Star, Mani had pleaded not guilty to the charges in March last year.

Judge Siti Khairiah ordered that he be jailed five years and fined RM10,000 for each offence. However, the jail sentences are to run concurrently.

Mani was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 which provides a jail sentence of between two and 10 years and a fine of between RM5,000 and RM20,000 for each charge.

According to media reports, the fatal accident involved the lorry slamming into a motorcycle and three cars, one of which was carrying the Singaporean family of four.

The family had been on holiday and passing through Lukut in Port Dickson when the tragedy struck.

Photos on social media showed their car, a Honda Stream, completely crushed under the lorry.

The Star had previously reported that the Malaysian fire and rescue department took almost two hours to extricate the victims from the wreckage, and a crane had to be used to lift the lorry from the crushed car.

The three female passengers in the Singapore-registered vehicle were killed on the spot, while the male driver of the car died on the way to the hospital.

When the bodies of the Singaporeans were taken back to Singapore last year, hundreds of mourners turned up at the Choa Chu Kang Muslim cemetery to pay their last respects. AGENCIES