KUALA LUMPUR: A cabin crew member pleaded not guilty in the magistrates’ court today to two charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, causing the death of one person and injuries to another in an incident on Oct 24.
Iman Nafiz Fong Sabirin, 26, entered his plea before magistrate Atiqah Mohamed @ Mohamad Saim.
He is accused of driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 64mg per 100ml of blood, exceeding the legal limit of 50mg per 100ml, and causing the death of Faris Irfan Fazli, 29.
The charge was framed under Section 44(1)(b) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which provides for imprisonment of between 10 and 15 years and a fine of between RM50,000 and RM100,000, upon conviction.
The incident allegedly occurred at 4.09am on the Sultan Iskandar Highway heading towards Jalan Parlimen.
Iman also faces a charge of causing injuries to Zakiyamani Zakaria, 49, in the same incident.
The charge, under Section 44(1A)(b) of the same Act, carries a prison term of between seven and 10 years and a fine of between RM30,000 and RM50,000, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Fadhly Zamry proposed bail of RM25,000 for each charge, as well as the suspension of Iman’s driving licence and the impounding of his passport until the case concludes.
However, defence counsel Anif Rafih objected to the proposed bail amount, saying Iman supported his parents and his father required regular treatment for a heart condition.
He added that Iman, who is unmarried and from Sarawak, needed his passport for work as a cabin crew member with a local airline. Anif urged the court to set bail at RM35,000.
After hearing submissions from both parties, the magistrate granted bail of RM35,000 and ordered the suspension of Iman’s driving licence. She also ordered him to report to the nearest police station once a month.
The court fixed Nov 30 for case mention.