KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — The Traffic Court here was today told that the maximum speed allowed from the Air Panas Plaza Toll to Km6.2 of the Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE), the location of a tragic accident in which three members of a family perished, was 90 kilometres per hour (km/h).

North-East Consortium (KL) Sdn Bhd toll operations and public relations senior manager Mohd Hasrul Nizam Hanipah said it was the maximum speed allowed on the 18-km city highway.

“There are three stages of speed limit on the DUKE highway namely 40, 80 and 90 km/h,” he said when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Suhaimi Ibrahim.

He was testifying in the trial of two Myvi owners, Siti Noor Aini Mohd Said, 36, and Mohammad Fizal Reza, 31, who are accused of dangerous driving resulting in the deaths of Fairuz Nizam Husain, 35, his wife Nova Safitri Azhari, 27, and their six-month-old daughther Nur Firuza Annisa.

Siti Noor Aini and Mohammad Fizal allegedly committed the offence at KM6 of the DUKE highway from the direction of Ulu Klang heading towards Jalan Duta, between 12.31 and 12.35am on May 2.

When asked on who could identify the speed of a vehicle driven on the highway, Mohd Hasrul Nizam said it could only be known by the driver.

The fourth witness who was continuing his testimony today, said the speed limit sign was positioned between 500 and 800 metres before the Air Panas Toll Plaza.

“The sign can be seen clearly from both directions of the highway.

To a question on the need of the three stages speed limit, the witness said  it was subjected to the design of the highway and the safety factor.

During cross-examination by counsel Omar Bakhi Ahmad representing Siti Noor Aini, on whether the speed limit had ever changed since its inception on February 2009, Mohd Hasrul Nizam said: “No, it stays the same and has not changed.”

Earlier, the witness also told the court that the three-lane road from Air Panas Plaza Toll to the crash site was straight.

Mohammad Fizal was represented by counsel S.N. Seelan while counsel C.Leo Camoens kept a watching brief for the family of the victims.

Deputy public prosecutor Nadiah Malek Fauzie also represented the prosecution.

The trial before magistrate Zilfinaz Abbas continues Thursday. — Bernama