JPJ denies allegation officer in trailer tragedy involved in graft

SHAH ALAM: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has strongly denied allegations that an officer who died in a road accident recently was involved in graft.

JPJ deputy director general (management) Datuk Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman told a press conference Saturday that the allegations were baseless.

A Facebook user by the name of Saiful Otai had posted that the officer, Mohd Ridzuan Yusuf, deserved to die for abusing his power and living off ill-gotten money.

He also claimed to have known the Selangor JPJ enforcement officer, adding that he was at the scene when the accident happened.

"We see an element of revenge against JPJ officers," said Wan Ahmad Uzir.

Mohd Ridzuan, 32, died on the spot on Wednesday when he was run over by a trailer near the Setia Alam toll plaza.

A police report was lodged against the Facebook user by a Perak JPJ officer, at the Bercham police station in Ipoh.

Wan Ahmad Uzir said it did not matter who lodged the report provided it was someone from JPJ.

According to Wan Ahmad Uzir, JPJ investigations have revealed that Saiful Otai was a lorry driver.

He said JPJ was informed that the man had also lodged a police report, claiming his Facebook account was hacked.

"We hope the police will initiate action as soon as possible," said Wan Ahmad Uzir.

He added that Saiful Otai should have lodged a complaint against the deceased when he was alive if he was indeed involved in graft.

"We are very serious about upholding integrity and have taken disciplinary action against 105 officers over various issues since 2015," he said.

He said JPJ would not compromise over matters pertaining to integrity.

On Mohd Ridzuan’s death, Wan Ahmad Uzir said the agency believed he must have been standing at a blind spot when the trailer ran over him.

In the Wednesday incident, the trailer driver had parked his vehicle at the road shoulder to make a phone call and ran over Mohd Ridzuan as he was pulling out to continue his journey.