Friday September 21, 2012

Motorists urged to be wary of fake accidents

By OH ING YEEN
ingyeen@thestar.com.my

A FIELD trip to Putrajaya turned into a nightmare for a family from Bandar Damai Perdana, Cheras.

Choy Kien Mun, 74, and his wife Hsi Hsuen, 67, were taking their three relatives from Taiwan to visit the administrative capital.

However, en route, along Persiaran Damai Perdana, a motorcyclist and its pillion rider fell behind their car. Soon, three more motorcycles turned up.

According to Choy, who related their ordeal at a press conference at Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) councillor Evonne Lee’s service centre in Bandar Damai Perdana, the motorcyclists were in their 20s.

“Some started using their helmets to smash our windscreens and side mirrors. We suspected that one of them was high on drugs or something as he looked delirious while smashing our windscreens.

“We suspect that the ‘accident’ was a ploy to either rob us, extort money or hijack the car as three other motorcyclists turned up just seconds after the ‘accident’,” he said, adding that he was driving a new Mercedes Benz.

Hsi was thankful that passers-by started to crowd around the scene and some even came to their help.

“One woman honked to attract the attention of others. A man came to protect them from the helmet-wielding youths. When the man alighted from his car; a middle-aged man tried to pacify the youths.

“Our relatives who were also in the car were in shock throughout the incident. It was their first visit to Malaysia and it was embarrassing that they had to experience this.”

According to Choy, at the scene, they were a approached by a policemen who said they could just give him their names and IC numbers without lodging a police report.

“However, we insisted on filing one.

“We first went to the Bandar Damai Perdana police station but because there was no investigating officer (IO) so we went to the Kajang police station,” he said.

However, they claimed that the attitude of the police officer taking their report was appalling.

“The police officer asked me my father’s name. I was taken by surprised as I did not expect him to ask something like this and blurted out that my father was dead. The officer retorted that ‘even if he was dead, his name would not be’.

“He also said at my age I am too old to drive and probably had hit someone out of clumsiness; he will inform the Road Transport Department to stop my driving licence,” he said.

Choy added, “The police also said that because my mirror was damaged, it showed that I has actually hit the motorcyclist when in fact, it was the motorcyclist who smashed it with his helmet.

“The police also accused me of committing a hit-and-run even though I did not hit anyone.

“The motorcyclist and pillion rider involved in the accident filed a police report. The others fled the scene soon after.”

Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching and MPKj councillor Eddie Ng were also at the press conference.

Ng said, “When the victims lodge a police report, it was very unprofessional of the police to jump to conclusions before investigating.

“I urge the government to set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) soon,” he said.

Lee said victims should report to the police so that they can know about the increasing crime and increase patrol in those areas.

Teo urged Damai Perdana folks to be careful as according to residents, this was not the first time such an incident has occurred.

“In a recent case, the ‘victim’ extorted money from the driver to cover up the accident.

“Even if Choy did hit the motorcyclist, it was wrong for the motorcyclists to smash his windscreens. The police should not take violent acts lightly and should investigate the case instead of jumping to conclusions.”

The Kajang OCPD could not be reached for comments by press time.