[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: A man who drove against traffic on the North-South Highway (NSE) last month to avoid a roadblock today claimed a trial on a charge of driving under the influence in the Magistrates Court of Tapah, Perak.
Bernama reported that 34-year-old T Yugeswaran pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol above the permitted level on November 11 at 6 p.m., on the NSE, while returning to his hometown of Bidor.
A video of the defendant, who is a sales agent, driving his Perodua Axia for 1.4 km against traffic had also gone viral.
Citing the increasing number of cases of driving under the influence and driving against traffic, Deputy Prosecutor Nur Amanina Zulkefli urged the court to set bail of RM30,000.
However, the court set a bail of 12,000 ringgit with two guarantees after Yugeswaran’s lawyer, Amani William-Hunt Abdullah, asked for a lower amount on the grounds that the defendant had family financial commitments, the national news agency reported.
The case has been arranged to be brought up again on January 21 next year.
The defendant, who was traveling from Klang, intended to exit the highway at the Sungkai exit, but turned around when he saw a police checkpoint before the tollbooth.
He continued his way south against traffic on the northbound leg and soon collided with a Toyota Rush pickup. His vehicle was also hit by a tow truck, but no casualties or injuries were reported.
If convicted, you face a jail term of no more than two years, a fine ranging from RM10,000 to RM30,000, and revocation of your driver’s license for two years or more, under Section 45A. (1) of the Road Transportation (Amendment) Act 2020 for Driving Under the Influence (DUI), which came into effect on October 23 of this year.
