KULIM: The family of a policeman who is now in a vegetative state after being knocked down by a fuel smuggler two years ago has appealed to the attorney-general to review the decision to withdraw an attempted murder charge against the accused.
Lawyer Kuldeep Singh Gill, who is representing the victim's family, said he had written to Attorney-General Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh on Wednesday.
"The family of Corporal Muhamad Khairul Syafiq Ahmad is appealing to the A-G to review the Kulim Sessions Court's decision on Dec 5, 2022, to grant the accused a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) following an application by the prosecution," he said when met at the court complex here today together with the victim's family members.
Kuldeep said the family was seeking an explanation from the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) on the decision to withdraw the charge under Section 307 of the Penal Code.
"The victim's father wrote to the A-G on March 30 to seek an explanation on the decision but the family is very disappointed as they have not received any response.
"This is a very serious case as it involved a policeman who was seriously injured while on duty and the family insists that the attempted murder charge be reinstated.
"We hope that the A-G will respond and review the decision to do justice for the victim and his family," he said.
In July 2022, Chua Kai Choon, 45, was charged under Section 307 of the Penal Code, which carries up to 20 years' jail upon conviction.
He was accused of intentionally ramming his Nissan Frontier four-wheel-drive into Khairul along the Kulim-Serdang trunk road near the Inland Revenue Board office here about 9.15am on July 16.
However, the Kulim Sessions Court had in December 2022 granted the DNAA to the accused following an application by the prosecution.
Khairul, the father of a young child, had part of his skull removed after the incident to reduce pressure and bleeding in his head. He was left in a vegetative state after that.
Khairul had been attached to the Hi-Tech police station, was on patrol when he tried to flag down the accused.
In his haste to evade arrest, the accused's vehicle knocked into the victim's motorcycle before speeding off.
Chua was arrested in Butterworth several hours later and tested positive for drugs.
It was also reported that police later discovered that the pickup truck was modified with a fuel tank in the cargo compartment, suggesting that he was involved in the smuggling of subsidised fuel.