Container crushes woman to death in Malaysia; lorry driver flashes peace sign before entering court

A 21-year-old woman was killed in an accident after a container toppled off a lorry at a traffic junction in Penang and crushed two stationary cars on Wednesday (Nov 13) morning. 

Lee Zi Rou, who was alone in her car, died on the spot. 

The other victim, 25-year-old Tan Chou Theng, was pulled out of his car by members of the public and taken to hospital.

At her funeral wake, Lee's mother Lin Xiaoling (transliteration) told Malaysian media outlet Sin Chew Daily that her daughter had called her and said, "Mummy, I'm in pain" before falling silent.

When Lin called her daughter again, a stranger answered and informed her of the accident location.

"I immediately rushed to the scene. There was a traffic jam because of the accident, so I left my car at the roadside and ran there, but I was too late to see Zi Rou for the final time," she cried.

Lin added that she reached the scene eight minutes after her daughter called.

Zi Rou's elder sister, Ziqi, told Sin Chew that her younger sister would often take care of her and their two other sisters. 

"Now that Zi Rou has left us, it's hard to imagine what life will be like without her. How will it be like at home?" 

The 51-year-old lorry driver, who was not named, was taken to the magistrate's court on Thursday afternoon, where he flashed a peace sign to the media. He will be remanded for four days for investigations, reported The Star.

Seberang Perai Tengah district police chief ACP Helmi Aris had said on Wednesday that the lorry driver had passed alcohol tests, reported the New Straits Times.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com