BUKIT MERTAJAM, June 9 — Police have arrested a 29-year-old local man after a video showing a Mitsubishi Triton being driven recklessly and colliding with several vehicles on the North-South Expressway went viral on social media.

Seberang Perai Tengah police chief ACP Nik Aminuddin Raja Abdullah said the suspect was apprehended by members of the public on the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE) near Seberang Jaya before being handed over to police officers.

He said police received information regarding the incident at 10.05 am yesterday and preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was believed to have driven dangerously from the Sungai Dua area towards Penang, striking several vehicles along the route.

“The suspect was successfully detained by members of the public in the BKE area opposite a petrol station in Seberang Jaya before being handed over to police personnel who arrived at the scene.

“An inspection of a crossbody bag carried by the suspect uncovered a transparent plastic packet containing crystal-like substances suspected to be methamphetamine weighing 0.75 grammes, as well as another packet containing white crystalline substances believed to be ketamine weighing 2.38 grammes,” he said in a statement yesterday. 

Nik Aminuddin said urine screening tests conducted on the suspect returned positive results for methamphetamine and morphine.

Further checks revealed that the suspect has an extensive criminal history, including 15 records related to drug offences and two records involving other criminal offences.

He said the suspect has been detained for further investigation under Section 12(3) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and was scheduled to be brought before the Bukit Mertajam Magistrate’s Court today for a remand application.

Meanwhile, investigations into the collisions are being conducted by the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Division (BSPT) of the Seberang Perai Tengah District Police Headquarters under Section 44(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for driving under the influence of drugs and causing an accident.

Nik Aminuddin said police are also working to identify and locate all victims and independent witnesses who were present during the incident to assist with the investigation.

Members of the public with relevant information have been urged to contact the investigating officer, Inspector Vignesh Kalaiselvan, at 011-14572390 or report to the nearest police station.

Earlier, a video widely shared on social media showed a Mitsubishi Triton being driven recklessly in the Seberang Jaya area, triggering concern among road users and the wider public. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — Traffic flow on several major highways leading to Kuala Lumpur was reported to be slow as of 2pm today as motorists began returning home on the final day of the mid-year school holidays and following recent double public holidays.

A spokesman for the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) said the increase in traffic volume was expected as road users made their journeys back to the capital after spending the holiday period in their hometowns and vacation destinations.

Despite the higher number of vehicles on the road, he said the overall traffic situation remained under control, with no reports of extraordinary congestion or major incidents.

On the North-South Expressway (PLUS) E1 southbound, traffic was reported to be moving slowly from Seberang Jaya to Prai, as well as from Bandar Cassia to Jawi.

For the PLUS E2 route, traffic flow was also slow from Senawang to Port Dickson, and after the Sungai Besi Toll Plaza heading towards the city centre, he said when contacted by Bernama.

Meanwhile, on the Kuala Lumpur–Karak Expressway (KLK) heading towards Kuala Lumpur, slow-moving traffic was detected from Gambang to Sri Jaya and along the stretch between Lentang and Bukit Tinggi.

As a proactive measure to ease congestion and improve traffic flow, highway authorities have activated Smart Lanes, which utilise emergency lanes at several strategic locations.

Regarding traffic flow out of the capital towards the northern and southern regions, it was reported to be smooth with no significant disruptions.

Motorists are advised to remain patient, drive cautiously and comply with traffic instructions issued by the authorities throughout their journey. — Bernama