SERI KEMBANGAN, Nov 22 — The restaurant in Taman Equine here whose patrons were involved in a freak traffic crash on Sunday has urged local authorities to implement a “win-win” solution for the safety of diners and similar businesses, by preventing a repeat of the incident.
The restaurant proprietor told Malay Mail that its management had about a year ago proposed road closures for diners after working hours, with the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) members providing additional security detail, but it fell on deaf ears.
“We had suggested in the past to the local authorities but until now did not obtain any responses from them,” said the man who only wanted to be known as Steve, when met at Restoran Tar Chong here last night.
Explaining that since the restaurant is located within a commercial area, he said any road closure after work hours would not affect locals much as they would have gotten off work by the time restaurants set up their tables and chairs outside.
“We alone cannot be blamed as we have to remain in business with the influx of diners and insufficient space available to us.
“We find that diners also prefer open-air sittings as they find it much cooler sitting outside, and the road closure would provide additional security assurance to both parties,” he said.
Admitting the restaurant’s fault for setting up tables and chairs outside of the premises’ boundaries, he said the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) had yesterday already summoned the restaurant for the illegal setup.
“Several MPSJ enforcement officers came to the restaurant about 8pm on Monday and found that there were no more tables and chairs.
“However they still issued a fine to us for Sunday’s incident including the issuance of a warning letter and ordering us to remove the makeshift lightings we had installed by the road,” he said.
Steve pointed out that the restaurant, which occupies two corner shop lots, was ordered by the management not to place any tables or chairs following the incident on Sunday.
Asked about the crash, Steve who was present during the incident said he felt the driver had the intention to deliberately crash into the diners.
“I remembered it being so chaotic… people were chasing the suspect’s vehicle, some were tending to the injured and several others ran to safety.
“Thankfully not many were injured and it is however regretful that one of the diners passed away,” he said.
Restaurant waiter Zimmin Soe, who was attending to diners at the time, also said the ill-fated crash took place too fast.
“One moment the vehicle was taking a corner and the next thing you see people running away from the oncoming collision,” he said at the restaurant.
The 36-year-old Myanmar national who has been working at the establishment for the past decade said it was the first time a fatal incident had taken place.
Expressing slight fear of a similar repeat in the future, Soe said the fear was further amplified due to him being a non-Malaysian, and hence, may face different treatment than locals.
On Sunday night, a four-wheel-drive ploughed into diners outside the restaurant, killing a 57-year-old woman and injuring four others.
Police investigators said the driver made no attempt to stop and rammed into the patrons seated outside the food outlet.
Serdang district police chief ACP Ismadi Borhan said the suspect was found and arrested a few hours after the crash, after his vehicle was found abandoned near Taman Universiti Indah.
