IPOH: Sani Express bus driver Mohd Kamil Mohd Rashid, 37, claimed trial to reckless driving at the magistrate's court here on Tuesday over the accident that killed 10 passengers on North-South Expressway near the Ipoh Selatan toll plaza.

The 37-year-old Mohd Kamil pleaded not guilty before traffic court judge Mohamed Ruhizat Abdullah after the charge was read to him by the court interpreter.

Mohd Kamil Mohd Rashid, 37, being taken to a magistrate's court in Ipoh on Tuesday, where he was charged with reckless driving. - LEW YONG KAN/The Star

Mohd Kamil was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. He is liable to not more than 10 years’ jail and a fine of not less than RM5,000 if found guilty.

Mohamed Ruhizat set bail at RM20,000 with one surety and set Feb 3 for the trial. The bus driver posted the bail.

Earlier in the morning, the police had obtained an extension on Mohd Kamil's remand order to Thursday.

The double-decker bus was said to have skidded before hitting a road divider at the 272.8th kilometre of the expressway early Saturday morning.

The 10 who died in the accident were identified as Musa @ Ismail Abdullah, 64, Mohd Shukri Mohd Ali, 22, Shaharin Mohd Noor, 61, Noor Jasmi Noordin, 25, Mohd Bilal Osman, 22, Ng Kah Kit, 14, Ng Poh Ngoh, 23, Supiah Adam, 46, Sharifah Raheel Aljunid Syed Harun, 21, and Sharifah Hasanah Aljunid Syed Harun, 15.

All the victims were seated on the lower deck of the bus, which departed from Klang at 9pm Friday for Kangar, Perlis with 48 passengers.

Ipoh traffic chief Deputy Supt Mohd Rodzi Rajab had said on Saturday that Mohd Kamil admitted to having dozed off prior to the accident.

”The driver had stopped at the Tapah rest area earlier and had planned to change duty with his co-driver at the Sungai Perak rest area,” he had said, adding that the driver tested negative for alcohol and drugs.

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