AMPANG: A group of men said to have chased a Rapid KL bus driver last night wielding a samurai sword, denied the allegation.
"Yes four of us chased him but we did not beat him up. In fact we did not carry any sharp weapons or sticks with us," Muhammad Azri Mohd Arip, 22, said.
Muhammad Azri is the owner of a burger stall that was run over in an accident last night involving a Rapid KL bus along Jalan Enggang near the PKNS flats in Taman Keramat, here.
Recalling what unfolded, Muhammad Azri said he had just returned from work when he heard a loud bang.
"I rushed outside and saw a Proton Iswara next to my burger stall, after it was hit by a bus. Tables were strewn all over the place and my mother who was carrying my two-month-old nephew at the time of the incident was wedged between the stall and road divider," he said.
By his account, the Proton Iswara was turning into the area when the bus hit it.
The driver of the Iswara, also a resident in the area, started to chase after the bus driver following what happened, according to Muhammad Azri.
He alleged that the bus driver stopped the vehicle and asked all passengers to leave the bus.
This was when the Proton Iswara driver managed to enter the bus, he claimed, after which the bus driver took off.
"Four of us chased the bus on two bikes. I was angry because the driver left the scene of the accident when we could have settled this matter at the location," Muhammad Azri who took off after the driver without having the time to put on a shirt or shoes, said.
"We did not bring any sharp weapons or sticks. In fact the Proton Iswara driver repeatedly asked the bus driver to stop and head for a police station, but he refused.
"When we were chasing him, he put his hand out the window and showed a sign challenging us to keep chasing him," Muhammad Azri claimed.
The chase that took place saw the bus driver ramming into several vehicles as he allegedly attempted to flee those who were chasing him.
In a video that went viral, the driver later stopped the bus and ran off, after which the men on bikes also took off on foot after him.
Muhammad Azri alleged that when they finally caught up with the driver, he was already beaten up by members of the public.
"We did not manage to do anything to the man and the allegation that we had beaten him half dead is false, we also did not chase him with a samurai sword.
"Only four of us chased after him, not 'sekampung' (an entire village) as alleged. It is true that when the first accident happened, many residents at the area came out to see what happened because they all heard a loud bang," he said.
Muhammad Azri added that his account to reporters matched what he included in his police report and that if he was found lying, the police could take action against him.