12-vehicle-crash: Lorry driver tests positive for amphetamine, syabu

A lorry driver involved in a 12-vehicle crash in Shah Alam yesterday has tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine.

Shah Alam police chief Sarudin Samah confirmed the positive results in a urine screening test conducted on the 51-year-old driver.

“The man is detained to assist in investigations under Section 44(1A)(a) of the Road Transport Act 1987,” he said, Bernama reported.

The driver is expected to appear in the Shah Alam Court today for a remand application.

The development comes a day after the government announced plans to make motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs compensate their victims.

Brake problems claim

According to Sarudin, preliminary investigations found that the driver claimed his lorry suffered brake problems while travelling downhill from Puncak Perdana towards Puncak Alam at about 4.20pm yesterday.

The lorry then veered into the opposite lane and crashed into 11 vehicles that were stopped at the traffic lights at the Alam Budiman three-way junction along Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari.

A 58-year-old man driving a Subaru XV suffered serious head injuries and is being treated in the red zone of UiTM Hospital Puncak Alam.

His 53-year-old wife and their 17-year-old grandson, who were also in the vehicle, are receiving treatment at the same hospital and were reported to be in stable condition.

A 29-year-old Perodua Myvi driver also sustained bodily injuries and was reported to be in stable condition.

Footage showing a lorry travelling against the flow of traffic before crashing into several vehicles at the junction went viral on social media yesterday.

Compensation for victims

Earlier yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced during the tabling of Budget 2027 that motorists who cause harm while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs would be required to compensate their victims.

Anwar (above) said the government would amend the Road Transport Act to introduce the requirement, citing 28 fatal cases involving drunk or drug-impaired drivers recorded as of August this year.

“This truly shocks our conscience. Although enforcement has been tightened, violations remain worrying.

“Therefore, as a more stringent measure, the government will amend the Road Transport Act to require drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs to pay compensation to victims,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat.

Anwar also announced yesterday that telematics systems would be made mandatory for commercial vehicles to monitor speed, location and risky driving behaviour, including through alcohol-detection systems.

The Social Security Organisation will provide health screening vouchers to commercial vehicle drivers to detect medical conditions that could affect their ability to drive safely.

Six-year wait ends for mum of boy killed by rotten bus floor, awarded over RM17k

PARLIAMENT | MP quizzes 'inadequate' penalties for drunk drivers; parolee monitoring devices

COMMENT | Heavier penalties demand strict enforcement

COMMENT | Another tragedy on the roads: The 'Sendirian Berhad' mentality

SNAPSHOT | 19-year-old remanded over five-vehicle crash in Johor; Liu: Offer for Marina unacceptable

'Drink-driving': Military officer crashes into MPV, killing foreigner who just landed at KLIA