76-year-old pleads not guilty to reckless driving

GEORGE TOWN: Appearing calm and collected, a septuagenarian claimed trial on three charges of reckless and dangerous driving for crashing into several motorcyclists.

Tan Leuk Ley, 76, pleaded not guilty to all three charges read under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act before Magistrate Siti Nurul Suhaila Baharin at a Magistrate’s Court here.

The charge is punishable with imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of between RM5,000 and RM15,000 upon conviction.

Based on the first charge sheet, Tan is charged with driving at a dangerous speed and knocking into motorcyclist Mohammad Afiq Roszani, 23, on Jalan Bukit Gambir at 2.15pm on Nov 27 last year.The second charge read that Tan then rammed into another motorcyclist, Mohd Nor Ezrie Ahamad Nordin, 40, and his pillion, Nur Irfan Hakim Mohd Nor Ezrie, 15, at the same location, time and date.

The third charge read that Tan drove recklessly and crashed into motorcyclist Muhammad Syamil Zulkarnain, 22, and his pillion Kristina Abdullah, 22, at the same location, time and date.

Tan’s lawyer, Dev Kumaraendran, asked for a reduced bail amount as Tan has been cooperative with the police since the day of the incident.


He said Tan served as a police clerk for 30 years before retiring due to Cholesteatoma (an abnormal collection of skin cells deep inside the ear).

“She is not a flight risk and has never avoided responsibility over the incident.

“She now lives off her RM1,800 pension, and she is deaf in her right ear and still being treated for Cholesteatoma.

“She has various hospital appointments.

“I urge the court to reduce the bail amount,” he said, adding that Tan has three children and lives with one of them.

Siti Nurul Suhaila set bail at RM15,000 for all three charges with one surety.

“I add another condition that the accused and her family must not disturb the victims,” she said, before setting March 8 for submission of documents and the medical report.

It was reported on Nov 27 last year that six people were injured in an accident involving four cars and three motorcycles on Jalan Bukit Gambir.

Then acting George Town OCPD Supt V. Saravanan said a car driven by an elderly woman went out of control and crashed into the vehicles and motorcycles in front.

He had said that besides the driver, three motorcyclists and two pillion riders were also injured. The drivers of three other cars were unhurt.