Perak traffic police chief Supt Wan Jamil Wan Chik said the summonses for the 51-year-old driver, who is actually the co-driver of the bus, were issued between 2011 and 2015.

“The man’s urine test, however, came back negative for drugs. Police have taken his statement on the accident,” he told reporters when met at the Ipoh Court here today.

Ipoh Magistrate Court Assistant Registrar Ng Geok Nee allowed the application filed by the police to have the man, who hails from Johor Bahru, to be remanded for four days from today to facilitate further investigations into the case under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

Meanwhile, the original driver, Zakaria Ahmad, 50, when met said that before embarking on their journey, he and his co-driver had ensured that the bus was in good condition.

“My co-driver had enough sleep before we began our southbound journey at noon.

“I was asleep before the mishap occurred, but was awakened by the screams of passengers and saw the co-driver tried to slow down the bus by using the low gear, but he just couldn’t,” he told reporters at the court.

Earlier, Ipoh Police Chief ACP Sum Chang Keong, in a statement, said the bus, which was heading to Kuala Lumpur from Penang, was believed to have had faulty brakes when the mishap occurred at 2.45 pm.

“The bus was travelling at high speed when descending the slope from the tunnel and rammed into 10 cars in front.

“All 28 passengers in the bus, as well as drivers and passengers of those cars are safe, except a 21-year-old woman who suffered pain in the stomach area,” he said.

– BERNAMA