BUKIT MERTAJAM: A witness told the magistrate’s court here today that he began to worry about his friend Moey Yun Peng after reading news of an accident involving a car which plunged into the sea from the Penang Bridge.
Tan Wei Jie, 22, who is a student of a private college in Penang, said he was unaware that the crash involved Moey until after watching a viraled video on the crash, showing a white Mazda CX-5 car, when he began to feel uneasy as he recognised the car.
“On that Thursday morning (Jan 20, 2019), I read the news on an accident only in the Chinese-language newspaper, Kwong Wah Yit Poh. At that time I did not suspect anything, as there was no mention on the car involved in the accident.
“It was only at 2pm when I saw a video of the crash on my Facebook page and I saw it was Moey’s car and immediately called him on the telephone several times, but the calls went unanswered,” he added.
Tan was testifying at the trial of former hairdressing salon worker, K. Vaitheswaran, 21, who was charged with causing the death of Moey, a college student, whose sports utility vehicle (SUV) crashed into the sea from Penang Bridge on Jan 20 last year.
On Feb 11 last year, Vaitheswaran was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries an imprisonment for up to 10 years and a maximum fine of RM20,000, as well as being disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for up three years, if found guilty.
After that, Tan said he and a few friends went to met at a coffee shop to discuss the crash involving the Mazda CX-5 car and then went to look for Moey’s father at his house in Raja Uda, Butterworth, as they were unable to get Moey on the phone.
“At the same time we also contacted Moey’s girlfriend and she said she also did not know about the crash, but that she could contact Moey’s mother to check.
“Moey’s girlfriend then told us that Moey’s mother had not seen her son since the day before,” said Tan, who testified in English and then translated to Malay by a court interpreter.
Tan said he and his friends also went to see Moey’s father at his house and when informed that Moey was not at home, they, including Moey’s father, went to the Butterworth police station to lodge a report and inquire about the crash, but were told to go to Bukit Mertajam police station.
“At the Bukit Mertajam police station, we were shown a mobile phone and a car registration number plate. We made a call to Moey’s phone and the telephone rang and the car registration number plate bore Moey’s car registration number, and because of that we were certain Moey was involved in the crash.” he said.
Earlier Tan, who was Moey’s friend since they were in secondary school, said on the night before the crash (Jan 19, 2019), he, Moey, Vaitheswaran (accused) and a few others had attended a friend’s birthday celebration at a pub at the Love Land here and were there between 10pm and to 2.20am the next day.
After the party ended, Tan said he was sent home by a friend, Tan Yiew Jing, who also took along Moey, who had left his car at the Yiew Jing’s house.
The hearing continues on April 27. - Bernama
