JOHOR BARU, Nov 30 — The driver of a Toyota Vios who transported a banana tree placed horizontally across his car that it obstructed other road users at Jalan Persiaran Utama, Mutiara Rini, Skudai, here on Saturday paid the price for his brazen act when he was slapped with a traffic summons by the police.

Iskandar Puteri District Police chief ACP Dzulkhairi Mukhtar, commenting on the act which was caught on video and went viral on social media, said the 30-year-old local man was issued a summons under LN 166/59 Rule 20 for carrying a load with an improper vehicle.

He said police contacted the vehicle owner, who is in Singapore, after the video went viral.

"The owner’s son came to the police station to provide a statement yesterday (Saturday) at 8.30pm, saying the vehicle was driven by his cousin and the banana tree was for a prayer ceremony in Mutiara Rini,” Dzulkhairi said in a statement yesterday.

The driver finally turned up at the Iskandar Puteri Traffic Police Station at 9.30am yesterday to give his statement.

Dzulkhairi said checks revealed that the driver had 18 traffic summonses, including four arrest warrants and 10 non-compoundable summonses.

"The driver was taken to the Johor Baru Magistrate’s Court to settle six outstanding summonses amounting to RM1,200,” he said.

According to him, the Toyota Vios had been confiscated under Section 64 of the Road Transport Act 1987 for expired road tax. — Bernama