KEPALA BATAS, Oct 20 — The police have clarified that a man wielding a parang with a bleeding face wandering around in Bertam here on Oct 6 was a driver of a car involved in an accident.

North Seberang Perai district police chief ACP Anuar Abd Rahman said the police received a report about the sighting by a woman at 4.17 pm on that day and the man turned himself in on the same day.

"Preliminary investigations revealed that the man was involved in a collision with two other vehicles while driving a car from Alor Setar, Kedah to Subang, Selangor, causing his car to veer into a ditch.

"The man then escaped to Bertam carrying a parang taken from his car as he was worried he would be blamed for the collision and the collision was linked to a police report of an accident at Kilometre 120 Southbound of the North South Expressway,” he said in a statement tonight.

He added that further investigations were being conducted and that the case is being investigated under Section 7(1) of the Corrosive and Explosive. Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958 for carrying a dangerous weapon in public.

He reminded the public not to sensationalise the case and urged those with information on the case to contact investigating officer, Insp Irwan Shah Sumardi at 04-5762222 (ext 227) or the nearest police station.

Several photos of the man carrying the parang in Bertam went viral earlier, causing public concern. — Bernama