The family of a teenager who died in a recent accident in Kampar has denied claims circulating online that the victim was riding a motorcycle without a licence or helmet at the time of the incident.
The victim, a 17-year-old student, died following a crash on Friday night (13 March) while attempting to flee from a Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) officer. According to family members, the teenager held a valid motorcycle licence and was wearing a helmet when the accident occurred.
Victim
The family said the victim had been following traffic rules
They added that they were deeply troubled by various rumours spreading on social media after the tragedy, particularly allegations that the teenager did not have a licence and was not wearing a helmet. The family stressed that he had obtained his motorcycle licence last year and had been complying with traffic regulations, according to Kwong Wah.
The victim was formerly a student at Pei Hwa High School. He had been living with his grandmother and two older brothers, who work in Singapore and Johor Bahru. Both brothers reportedly rushed home after learning about the incident.
Earlier, Kampar District Police Chief Superintendent Nazri said in a statement that the accident occurred late on Friday evening. Based on preliminary investigations, the teenager attempted to evade a police patrol before losing control of his motorcycle after hitting a road divider and slope. The motorcycle subsequently plunged into a roadside drain.
However, police later clarified that claims suggesting officers had chased the teenager at close range were inaccurate. Nazri said that at the time of the incident, the teenager noticed a police patrol and fled after officers signalled for him to stop.
Police officers who observed the situation followed him from a distance, with an estimated gap of about 150 metres between them.
Authorities later discovered that the teenager had crashed into a roadside tree near Jinsha and succumbed to his injuries.
Police added that patrol officers involved were equipped with body cameras. Investigators have also obtained closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from nearby premises to assist with the investigation.
