Restaurant owner urges road closure after fatal crash

SERI KEMBANGAN (Nov 22): The owner of the restaurant where patrons were involved in a crash when a vehicle drove into tables set up outside, has requested that local authorities to implement road closure after work hours, for the safety of diner sin the area. 

The Taman Equine restaurant proprietor was quoted by the Malay Mail, saying that about a year ago, its management had proposed road closures for diners after working hours, with the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) members for security, but it had fallen on deaf ears.

“We had suggested in the past to the local authorities but until now did not obtain any responses from them,” the man who wanted to be identified as Steve said to the news portal.

He explained that the restaurant is located within a commercial area, and as such, a road closure after work hours would not encumber the locals much.

“We alone cannot be blamed as we have to remain in business with the influx of diners and insufficient space available to us.

“We find that diners also prefer open-air sittings as they find it much cooler sitting outside, and the road closure would provide additional security assurance to both parties,” he said.

Regarding the setting up of tables and chairs outside of the boundaries of the premises, he said the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) had summoned the restaurant for the illegal setup, yesterday.

“Several MPSJ enforcement officers came to the restaurant about 8pm on Monday and found that there were no more tables and chairs.

“However they still issued a fine to us for Sunday’s incident including the issuance of a warning letter and ordering us to remove the makeshift lightings we had installed by the road,” he said.

Steve who was present during the incident, expressed to the news portal that the driver seemed to have deliberately crashed into the diners.

“I remembered it being so chaotic people were chasing the suspect’s vehicle, some were tending to the injured and several others ran to safety.

“Thankfully not many were injured and it is however regretful that one of the diners passed away,” he said.

The incident took place on Sunday night, a four-wheel-drive vehicle crashed into diners seated at tables set up outside the establishment, killing a 57-year-old woman and injuring four others.

Police investigators said the driver had made no attempt to stop.

Serdang district police chief ACP Ismadi Borhan was quoted as saying that the suspect had been found and arrested a few hours after the crash. His vehicle had been found abandoned near Taman Universiti Indah.