A taxi driver from Singapore has been fined RM5,500 by a Magistrate’s Court in Muar, Malaysia, for causing damage to another vehicle during a road rage incident on the North-South Expressway (NSE).
45-year-old Soh Kian Hui pleaded guilty to the charges after he was accused of causing over RM2,500 worth of damage to a car during the altercation with a 31-year-old car owner.
The altercation took place at 1.58pm on Feb 10 at KM139.6 of the expressway in Pagoh, Muar, and resulted in damage amounting to RM2,502.35 to the rear windscreen of a Toyota Fortuner.
Soh faced charges under Section 427 of the Penal Code for committing mischief, which carries a possible prison term of one to five years, a fine, or both, if convicted.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Ariff Marzuki handled the case’s prosecution, while Norain Sakina Zikri represented Soh in court.
Norain mentioned during the proceedings that Soh is currently caring for his 71-year-old mother, who is recovering from cancer and has Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) disease, and earns approximately SGD3,000 (RM10,626) per month.
Mohamad Ariff requested a heavier fine as a deterrent for Soh and other road users, considering the dangerous location of the incident where Soh stopped his vehicle.
The court ultimately imposed the fine, which Soh paid to avoid 12 months’ jail time.
Johor police chief Comm M. Kumar had previously announced the arrest of a foreign man in his 40s in connection with the road rage incident, which was captured in a 54-second video that went viral on social media.
According to Kumar, the suspect was dissatisfied after the victim blocked his vehicle on the emergency lane along the highway, leading to the altercation in which the rear window of the victim’s car was broken.
