KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 5 — Two families were terrorised by a teenager, suspected to be mentally unstable, when he hijacked their cars and drove off with the passengers in Dungun yesterday evening.  

Terengganu police chief Datuk Jamshah Mustapa said, the 6 pm incident at the Bukit Besi-Ajil rest area of the East Coast Highway ended in a nine-month-old baby being in a coma, his mother Che Mastura Che Awang, 31 sustaining a broken rib and his father Abdul Pirhat Karim, 34, fracturing his right shoulder.   

The family were traveling from Kelantan to Kuala Lumpur in a Grand Livina multi-purpose vehicle with their sister and brother-in-law, who are both in the police force, he said after visiting the victims at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital, here today.    

The 17-year-old suspect had gotten into the car and driven off when the police couple had gone to the toilet at the rest area, he said. 

“The vehicle skidded out of control before crashing into a Proton Waja car and a lorry. The baby and his father were thrown out in the impact,” he said.  

After the accident at KM88 of Jalan Jerangau-Jabor near Ladang Gajah Mati, the unarmed suspect from Kemaman stopped a Perodua Myvi which was heading to Kuala Terengganu from Kuantan, he said. 

The teen pretended to ask for help but as soon the driver got out, he drove off with its four passengers, he added.       

“The car was finally discovered with the teenager and unharmed passengers at Kampung Batu Rakit about 7 pm. Initial investigations show that the boy’s motive was not to steal the cars. He is a school drop-out and we believe he is mentally unstable,” said Jamshah.   

The suspect, who tested negative for drugs, has been remanded and will be referred to a psychiatrist, he said. — Bernama