PUBLISHED ONFebruary 13, 2024 5:21 AMByDrima ChakrabortyDriving in the emergency lane on Malaysian expressways is a traffic offence, but it didn't stop a Singapore-registered car from doing so and colliding a motorcycle.
In a video uploaded onto the Malaysia-Singapore Border Crossers (MSBC) Facebook group, a blue Citroen can be seen turning left onto the emergency lane to avoid being stuck behind a bus.
A motorcycle approaches at speed and crashes into the car, and both the rider and pillion passenger are sent flying forward.
The video was taken on the North-South Expressway in Johor going southbound, according to the Facebook user who also shared the location.
The accident has triggered strong reactions from netizens, with one comment in Malay criticising the driver: "They left their brain in Singapore."
Another wrote that it was "important to signal to alert others", noting that the driver of the car had failed to do so in the video.
However, some netizens pointed out that the motorcyclist also committed an offence by riding in the emergency lane.
"It's not only Singaporeans, Malaysians also enter the emergency lane between toll booths," one Facebook user commented.
"The car was wrong, but the motorcycle didn't break either, alamak," another wrote.
A netizen joked in conclusion: "You all say Singaporeans are stupid but Malaysians who ride motorcycles are stupid too. We're all stupid right, that's why we're neighbours, haha."
On Feb 10, another Singapore-registered car was also reportedly driving in the emergency lane on the same expressway, when a Malaysian car blocked the former and an argument ensued.
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The driver of the Singapore-registered car swung at two men with a golf club, damaging the other car's back window in the process.
The Muar District Police shared that they were on the lookout for the Singaporean driver and were investigating the case under Section 427 of the Malaysian penal code, pertaining to "whoever commits mischief and thereby causes loss or damage to the amount of 25 ringgit (S$7) or upwards".
The case was also being investigated under Section 233 of Malaysia’s Communications and Multimedia Act, pertaining to "offences of using network facilities to transmit communication deemed to be offensive or could cause annoyance to another person" and Section 53(1) of the Road Transport Act 1959, which stipulates driving in the emergency lane as an offence.
The Singaporean was arrested in Genting Highlands yesterday (Feb 12).
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drimac@asiaone.com
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