Drink-driving death in Malaysia spirals into race-baiting, inflames ethnic tensions

A screengrab of footage of the crash in Klang, Malaysia, shows an allegedly speeding Honda City entering the opposite lane, and crashing into a motorcycle coming from the other direction.

Photo: Handout A horrific road crash in Malaysia’s port city of Klang that left a motorcyclist dead on Sunday has spiralled into yet another bout of race-baiting over what was initially a fatal drink-driving investigation.

Police said the crash happened at about 11.40am on Jalan Raya Barat, when an allegedly speeding Honda City driven by a local man in his 20s overtook several vehicles, entered the opposite lane, and crashed into a motorcycle coming from the other direction.

The rider, a local man in his 30s, was flung onto another car and died at the scene.

The Honda driver later tested positive for alcohol and drugs and was detained for investigation. “Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious offence and endangers the safety of oneself and other road users,” South Klang Police Assistant Commissioner Lim Jit Huey said in a statement. “The public is advised to always obey road laws, drive prudently and practise consideration while on the road.” The case is being investigated under Section 44(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a jail term of 10 to 15 years, and a fine of 50,000 ringgit (US$12,459) to 100,000 ringgit upon conviction.

Lim said a four-day remand until April 2 had been approved for the suspect, according to local media.

The horrific car crash in Klang, Malaysia, on Sunday.

The Honda driver later tested positive for alcohol and drugs and was detained for investigation.

Photo: Handout The case sparked discussions online that veered almost immediately into race.

One user alluded to drink-driving and “always the same group of people” when it came to car crashes.

Another pushed back, writing: “Why mention the race in particular.

Not necessary.” A third said: “So sad this happened but why play the race card?

From where I come from the drunk drivers are not Indian or Chinese … and apparently you can still be sober or not on drugs to drive like a stupid moron and kill other innocent road users.” That exchange captured how fast a road death in Malaysia can be pulled into the country’s long-running ethnic fault lines.

Malaysian expert James Chin, professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania, said the case had quickly taken on a racial dimension because Malaysia already had a “high incidence” of race-baiting and

原文链接: 南华早报