BAGAN SERAI, May 20 — Police have detained two men to help in the investigation of an accident case involving an SUV which killed three Myanmar nationals at Kilometre 190.6 of the North-South Expressway near Bukit Merah here yesterday.
Kerian District Police Chief Supt Omar Bakhtiar Yaacob said a local man M. Vasudavan, 56, who was the owner of the vehicle was detained at his home in Taman Pelangi, Kampar at 4.30pm yesterday.
He said another Myanmar man Law Kee Thang, in his 20s, was detained in his home at Kampung Baru Sungai Siput Selatan, Kuala Dipang near Kampar at 5.45pm yesterday,
He said both men were detained on remand from today until June 17 and the case is being investigated under Section 26(A) of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom) Act 2007 and Section 6 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 which provides for a jail sentence of up to 15 years and fine, if found guilty.
“They are also being investigated under Section 4 of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012,” he said in a press conference at the Kerian District Police Headquarters here today.
He said police investigations found that Vasudavan who owned the Nissan Xtrail had handed the vehicle to a Myanmar man named Ah Hong.
“Ah Hong had given RM300 to Vasudavan to take the car after using Vasudavan’s name to register it,” he said.
In the incident at about 8 am yesterday, three Myanmar nationals died, seven were seriously injured and four had slight injuries.
Omar Bakhtiar said initial investigations found that Kee Thang was an intermediary between Vasudavan and Ah Hong, and had once worked for Ah Hong.
“Kee Thang used Vasudavan’s name to buy a Nissan Xtrail vehicle as Myanmar nationals are not allowed to purchase a vehicle under their own name,” he said.
Omar Bakhtiar said four Myanmar men who were detained yesterday said they stayed at the Thai border for two nights and traveled in a congested car.
“When they reached a certain place, they moved to a Nissan Xtrail to travel to an unknown location,” he said.
He added that police did not discount the possibility that Ah Hong and another Myanmar person escaped when the vehicle was involved in an accident.
“We are tracking down the driver and front passenger seat of the vehicle,” he said, adding that police were investigating the case further as there was a possibility that a syndicate was smuggling in Myanmar nationals. — Bernama
