BUTTERWORTH: A service engineer claimed trial to a charge of causing the death of two people while driving under the influence of alcohol.
Teoh Joo Leong, 47, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him before Magistrate Siti Zulaikha Nordin @ Ghani.
He allegedly caused the death of teachers Muhammad Fakhrul Rodzi Fauzi, 31, and Muhammed Ahsan Mohamed Ayub, 32 by driving under the influence of alcohol.
The incident occurred at Jalan Permatang Baru Nawar in the Northern Seberang Prai district at 2.30am on Dec 16 last year.
He was charged under Section 44(1)(b) of the Road Transport Act 1987 which carries a jail term of between 10 and 15 years and a fine of between RM50,000 and RM100,000 upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurameera Shahrul Azrin urged the court to set bail at RM10,000.
Teoh’s counsel Benjamin Tan pleaded for minimum bail, saying that his client has been cooperative with the authorities and is not a flight risk.
“He received a call yesterday to be present in court today to face the charge and he came. The bail is to secure his attendance in court and not a form of punishment,” he said.
Tan told the court that his client earned RM7,000 as a service engineer and was divorced from his wife.
He said his client had to care for his three school-going children and his aged and ailing parents.
“A bailor is here to bail him out. As such, we ask for a minimal bail,” he said.
Siti Zulaikha set bail at RM8,000 with one surety and fixed March 7 for the case pending document submissions.
It was reported that two friends died when the car they were travelling in was involved in a crash with Teoh's car at Jalan Permatang Baru on Dec 16, last year.
Police subsequently detained the driver, and a breathalyser test conducted on Teoh found alcohol content above the permissible limit.
