ROMPIN, Dec 11 ― A tanker driver pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate's Court here today to charges of driving under the influence of drugs which resulted in the death of two personnel of the Pahang Health Department (JKNP) on Monday.

P. Kaingeyen, 34, who lives in Kuantan, about 115km from here, was charged before Magistrate Azizah Ahmad.

He was accused of driving under the influence of drugs and failing to control his vehicle, thus causing the death of JKNP driver Mohd Zuhairi Abdullah, 35, and nurse Julayha Kudus, 29, at 10am on December 7 at Km 32 Jalan Pekan-Rompin, Pekan, near here.

For this offence, he was charged under Section 44(1)(a) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which provides for a maximum jail term of 15 years and RM100,000 fine on conviction.

Kaingeyen was also charged with driving under the influence of drugs and causing injuries to Dr Muhd Ikhwan Ramlee, 29, and the driver of a Perodua Myvi, Azlida Mohamad Ramli, 41, at the same place and time.

For this offence, he was charged under Section 44(1A)(a) of the same Act, which provides for a maximum jail term of 10 years and up to RM50,000 fine.

His lawyer Ahmad Deniel Roslan appealed to the court to allow bail although deputy public prosecutor Nurhalimaton Saadiah Abdullah did not offer any to Kaingeyen, who has been working with the transport company for just one month.

“The salary of the accused is about RM1,500 and his wife is eight months pregnant, and they have three young children. I was given to understand that the accused plans to borrow money from his employer to pay for bail,” he said.

Azizah granted him bail of RM11,000 in one surety for all the charges, on condition that he reports to the police every month and surrenders his passport to the court. She fixed Feb 15 next year for mention.

Mohd Zuhairi, Julayha and Dr Muhd Ikhwan, from the Pekan District Health Office, were on their way to the Api Larat Orang Asli settlement to conduct routine health checks when the accident happened.

The crash involved the tanker, a Toyota Hilux belonging to the Health Ministry and the Perodua Myvi carrying the housewife and her two children.

Kaingeyen also pleaded not guilty to using methamphetamine, an offence allegedly committed at 7pm on December 7 at the Pekan district police headquarters near here.

For this charge, Azizah allowed him bail of RM1,500 in one surety and fixed mention on February 15 next year. ― Bernama