Car dealer drowns in canal

Grim find: The Fire and Rescue team preparing to drag Lim’s car out of the irrigation canal after the scuba divers (inset) found the vehicle in Jalan Lana Bulu, Mukim Jerlun, Kedah.

JITRA: A used car dealer drowned when the car he was driving skidded and plunged into an irrigation canal in Jalan Lana Bulu in Kerpan near here.

The body of Lim Keat Siong (pic), 29, was found by the Fire and Rescue Department’s scuba team.

The incident happened at 3.30am yesterday and search and rescue operations began at 4.11am, resulting in Lim’s body being found at 7.55am.

Villagers were awakened by a loud crash in the canal and alerted the department.

State Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Supt Nur Hafizah Muhammad Lukman said the Jitra Fire and Rescue station received a call around 3.39am and the first fire engine arrived at the scene at 4.11am.

Nur Hafizah said that Lim, who was driving a Mercedes-Benz, was believed to have lost control of the vehicle, which resulted in the car plunging into the canal.

She said the scuba divers found Lim’s body still trapped inside the car.

“The body was handed over to the police and later sent to the Jitra Hospital mortuary,” she added.

Kubang Pasu district police chief Supt Abd Hadi Hassan said Lim was in the car alone and was travelling from Kerpan to Megan Dewa in Jerlun.

He said the case will be investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

One of Lim’s relatives, Tan Ai Ling, said Lim was on his way home after attending a birthday party.

“He had been driving the car for only about a month,” she said, adding that Lim used to help his father run a used car outlet in Kerpan.

Tan said that Lim, the eldest of four siblings. planned to get married next year.