BUKIT MERTAJAM, Mar 17 – The teen driver, Cindy Ng Pei Ven, 19, of Butterworth, who crashed into nine cars while driving against traffic on the North-South Expressway (PLUS) on Tuesday has been charged with drugs-taking at the court the Magistrate’s Court here today.
Ng was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for consuming a dangerous drug. She was calm when the charge was read out to her in Mandarin before magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap. She faces up to two year jail term and/or RM5,000 fine. She pleaded not guilty.
Police prosecuting officer ACP Md Azman Kadir asked the court to set a high bail amount since Ng’s case had attracted a lot of public interest. Azman asked the court to suspend her driving licence as Ng’s actions had caused the death of another driver. He also told the court to mandate a weekly urine test for Ng should she be out on bail.
Ng, who was unrepresented, pleaded for a lower bail amount before Magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap. She said she was unemployed, and her father worked as a motorcycle mechanic and her mother was an insurance agent. Jamaliah allowed bail at RM5,000 with two sureties, and ordered Ng to report to the Central Seberang Prai police headquarters once a week.
Jamaliah also fixed May 12 for mention. Ng’s relatives posted bail. She was seen wearing the same black and white short dress from Tuesday’s incident. Ng’s left eye remained bandaged and her right arm was also in a sling. Before entering court, she was seen sobbing while escorted by police officers.
Ng is believed to have been high on amphetamines and drunk while driving her car at high speed against the flow of traffic along the NSE, after the Sungai Dua toll on mainland Butterworth, before triggering a collision at 7.50am. Her Proton Gen 2 had first struck a Perodua Kelisa, driven by Mohamad Fandi Rosli, 26, which led to a chain reaction of collisions. Fandi died on the spot due to severe head and bodily injuries. Ng and the drivers of four other vehicles suffered minor injuries.
