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The lorry driver involved in the devastating crash that claimed the lives of six members of the same family in Kedah has been released today, 8 June, after a magistrate rejected the police's application to remand him
The 49-year-old driver, who operates a lorry, was brought under police escort to the Sungai Petani Magistrates' Court earlier today.
However, Magistrate Mohamad Azlan Basri declined to grant the remand order sought by investigators, reported the New Straits Times.
He was released after his statement was recorded at the Kuala Muda district police headquarters, according to the English daily.
Kedah police chief Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said earlier that the driver possessed a valid driving licence, was not speeding at the time of the collision, and tested negative for drugs.
Initial findings indicated the lorry was travelling at about 60km/h at the time of the crash.
The lorry driver.
Image via China PressThe driver has seven traffic summonses on record, four of which remain unpaid
Police had detained the driver shortly after the incident as part of standard procedure due to the severity of the crash and the high number of fatalities involved.
The fatal collision took place at around 3.46pm on 7 June along Jalan Kampung Baru Pinang Tunggal in Sungai Petani.
Preliminary investigations found that a Proton X50 SUV and the lorry were travelling in opposite directions when the SUV suddenly crossed into the opposite lane for reasons that have yet to be determined.
The vehicle then collided head-on with the oncoming lorry.
There were seven people inside the Proton X50.
Six of them were pronounced dead at the scene:
- Ahmad Syafiq Ahmad Shukri, 29
- Ahmad Fahim Ahmad Shukri, 21
- Nora Mhd Husin, 55
- Jamaliah Sannusi, 29
- Iskandar Affan Ibrahim, 7
- Ahmad Mikail, two months old
The sole survivor was Ahmad Shafie's three-year-old daughter, Aulia, who suffered severe head injuries.
She remains in critical condition and is receiving treatment in hospital.
The Proton X50 had reportedly been collected just hours before the crash
According to reports, the Proton X50 belonged to Ahmad Fahsin and had only been collected from the dealership at around 11am on the day of the accident.
Plastic protective covers were reportedly still attached to the seats when the crash occurred.
Family members had taken the opportunity to go for a drive in the newly purchased vehicle while travelling to visit their late father's grave in Bedong.
The tragedy has since drawn widespread attention nationwide due to the scale of the loss, with six members of one family killed and only a young child surviving the crash.
