A pickup truck driver was charged at the Raub Magistrate’s Court today with two counts of reckless driving that allegedly caused the death of a motorcyclist and endangered the life of the victim’s young son in a crash near Bentong on July 14.
The accused, Hairizal Ahmad, 44, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Magistrate Siti Aisyah Ahmad.
For the first charge, Hairizal was accused of driving a Toyota Hilux recklessly by entering the opposite lane before colliding with a Yamaha Y15ZR motorcycle at a junction, resulting in the death of Zaiful Arimey Zainal Abidin, 33.
The incident was alleged to have taken place at about 10.25pm on July 14 at Kilometer 15, Jalan Utama Mempaga, in front of Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan Bentong (Superb).
He was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine between RM20,000 and RM50,000 upon conviction.
For the second charge, Hairizal was accused of driving the same vehicle recklessly and endangering the life of another road user, Putera Nik Zarif Aqil Zaiful Arimey, 6, who is the son of the deceased victim.
The charge was made under Section 42(1) of the same Act, which provides for imprisonment of up to five years and a fine ranging from RM5,000 to RM15,000 upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Zamharir Muhammad Zuhid handled the prosecution, while the accused was represented by lawyer R. Vikraman from Rajo and Associates.
During the proceedings, the prosecution requested bail of RM8,000 for each charge and asked for the accused’s driving licence to be suspended until the conclusion of the case.
However, the defence requested a lower bail amount, arguing that Hairizal had family responsibilities, including caring for his nine-year-old daughter, elderly mother and disabled younger brother.
The lawyer said the accused, who works as a Hilux and five-tonne lorry driver earning between RM2,500 and RM2,800 monthly, had been with the same company for seven years without any disciplinary record.
The court later granted bail of RM10,000 with one surety and ordered the suspension of his driving licence until the case is resolved.
The court fixed Aug 17 for the next mention of the case and submission of documents.
