Melaka: The lorry company suspected of causing the five-vehicle collision which claimed seven lives at Kilometre (KM) 204 of the North-South Expressway (PLUS) northbound, on Dec 23 last year, is set to be charged in court on March 4. Melaka Road Transport Department (JPJ) director Muhammad Firdaus Shariff announced that the case will be filed under Section 57(1)(b)(vi) of the Land Public Transport Act (APAD) 2010 and will be mentioned at the Alor Gajah Magistrate’s Court.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, JPJ is also seeking to forfeit the rights of the semi-tank trailer carrying cement powder, under Section 80(4) of the same law. Muhammad Firdaus Shariff stated, “We served a court summons to the Johor-based lorry company on Feb 7, and the case has been scheduled for mention on March 4. The charge pertains to overloading, as the lorry was found carrying 16,250 kilogrammes – 31 per cent above the permitted load limit.” He shared this information with reporters after a special operation, held in conjunction wi
th the Chinese New Year celebrations, along the Lebuh Alor Gajah-Melaka Tengah-Jasin (Lebuh AMJ) near Melaka Sentral.

The media previously reported that seven people were killed and 33 injured in a crash involving a tour bus carrying 27 passengers, two lorries, a car, and a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) at KM204 of the PLUS Expressway northbound. Preliminary investigations revealed that the tour bus struck a lorry’s dislodged tyre in the middle lane, causing it to lose control and veer into the opposite lane where it collided with three other vehicles. The tragic incident claimed the lives of five passengers in the MPV, as well as the driver and a passenger of the bus.