Recently, it was reported that a senior citizen lost his life in Ayer Itam, Penang, after his car skidded into a construction site at 9:30 AM on Monday (29 December 2025). The site had been closed for electrical cable installation; tragically, the man was impaled by an iron drill rod during the accident.
Now, the 67-year-old man’s son is speaking out, saying that the loss could have been avoided if the iron rod, which is a drill rod used for underground directional drilling, hadn’t been there.
The victim’s son says the family is planning to take legal action over the death
According to a report by Sin Chew Daily, the deceased man’s 37-year-old son shared that he did not understand why the drill rod was at the scene of the accident.
He went on to explain that the forensic doctor who examined his father stated that the deceased did not suffer serious injuries to his brain and body. The cause of death was severe facial trauma caused by the rod striking his face.
“The forensic doctor said that, without the drill rod, my father might have escaped death.”
He is now seeking the general public’s help in providing dashboard camera footage of the incident, and he believes his family reserves the right to pursue legal action over this matter.
They will also be holding a funeral for the man on Friday (2 January 2026) at 11 AM.
What happened at the construction site
Ayer Itam assemblyperson, Joseph Ng Soon Siang, said that, according to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) personnel, the drill rod was being used for directional drilling, and that it was lying flat in the pit when one end bounced up and pierced through the bottom and through the roof of the deceased man’s car during the accident.
“The TNB representative said that the construction section was carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures, and the excavated road surface was covered with steel plates. But, after the accident, the steel plates were knocked and moved to the front,” he explained.
He added that he is in contact with the deceased man’s family and will assist them however he can.
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
