A LORRY driver was fined RM9,000 by the Magistrates’ Court in Batu Pahat today after admitting to driving without due care and attention, causing an eight-vehicle collision on the North-South Expressway earlier this month.
Magistrate Mustaqim Sukarno imposed the sentence on Md Asmawi Alias, 54, after accepting his guilty plea and taking into account his plea for leniency.
The court also ordered him to serve six months’ imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine. Md Asmawi subsequently paid the fine.
The court further ordered that the conviction be endorsed on his driving licence.
According to the charge, Md Asmawi was accused of driving without due care and attention, resulting in an accident at Kilometre 128.1 of the northbound North-South Expressway at noon on Aug 4.
He was charged under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333/87), which provides for a fine of up to RM10,000 and imprisonment of up to 12 months, with the conviction to be endorsed on the offender’s driving licence.
The court heard that police received a report concerning a road accident involving eight vehicles.
Investigations found that Md Asmawi had been travelling from Johor Bahru towards Shah Alam when the incident occurred.
Traffic was congested at the time, with vehicles coming to a stop on the expressway. However, the lorry suddenly lost control and failed to stop before crashing into seven vehicles ahead of it.
A Volkswagen Polo was completely damaged in the collision.
Investigations concluded that Md Asmawi had committed the offence by driving without due care and attention towards other road users.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Shahzleen Ibrahim conducted the prosecution, while Md Asmawi was represented by Kamarulariffin Nordin of the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK). - August 13, 2026
