14-05-2025
Teen pleads guilty to reckless driving that killed 5
KUCHING: A 15-year-old pleaded guilty in a magistrate's court today to charges of reckless driving, which led to a fatal crash in January this year that claimed the lives of five people.
He also pleaded guilty to a second charge of driving without a licence.
Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan ordered the teenager to be released on RM5,000 bail, pending sentencing on June 17, to allow time for the probationary report to be prepared, as he is under 21 years of age.
On the first charge, the offence occurred at 1.10pm on Jan 14, 2025, when the teenager was driving a Proton Saga recklessly, resulting in the deaths of five individuals. The offence falls under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a mandatory prison sentence of no less than five years and up to 10 years, along with a fine between RM20,000 and RM50,000 upon conviction.
The second charge stated that the accused, who was 15 years and three months old at the time, was driving the vehicle without a valid licence, in violation of Section 39(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. This offence carries a maximum penalty of RM2,000 and/or up to six months' imprisonment.
In a separate magistrate's court, the teenager's father, Akie Suma, 35, also pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 33(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for allowing his underage son to drive. This offence carries a fine of up to RM20,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both, along with mandatory community service.
However, senior assistant registrar Noraini Ahmad, sitting as a magistrate, fined him RM15,000, with a default sentence of 12 months' imprisonment.
The fatal crash attracted widespread public attention due to the involvement of a teenager driving without a licence.
Police investigations revealed that the accident occurred when the teenager was driving from Jalan Airport towards Stutong Baru. He lost control of the vehicle, veering into the opposite lane, where it collided with two cars and two motorcycles travelling in the opposite direction. Four people were killed on the spot, while a fifth succumbed to their injuries while receiving treatment at Sarawak General Hospital.
Three other individuals sustained injuries. The teenager, however, suffered a broken neck.
