Kulim district police chief Redzuan Salleh said the incident happened at 9.15am today when police were involved in a chase after the pickup truck along Jalan Kulim-Serdang, near Kulim.

He said the 31-year-old policeman, from the Kulim Hi-Tech police station motorcycle patrol unit, had been admitted to Penang general hospital with serious head injuries.

Redzuan told Bernama the driver of the pickup fled after the incident.

Police later arrested a 40-year-old suspect, from Sungai Petani, in Butterworth.

“A urine test on him revealed the presence of marijuana,” said Redzuan.

Upon inspection, police found that the suspect’s vehicle had been modified with a tank in the rear. “The suspect, believed to be involved in smuggling fuel, will be remanded tomorrow,” he said.