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Private Hire Driver Fined and Jailed for Drunk Driving in Malaysia

 



A Singaporean private hire driver was sentenced to two days in jail by a Johor court after he crashed his car into a restaurant while drunk. The incident occurred on March 5, 2025, when 46-year-old Sim Kok Siong Daniel lost control of his black vehicle and rammed into a Thai mookata restaurant along Jalan Dato Abdullah Tahir in Johor Bahru.

Sim pleaded guilty to drink-driving at the Johor Bahru Magistrate Court on March 14, where an interpreter read him the charge in Chinese. In addition to the jail term, he was fined RM12,000 (approximately S$3,600) and banned from driving in Malaysia for two years. If he fails to pay the fine, his jail sentence would be extended to seven months.

The incident took place at around 10.50pm, less than 5km from the Johor Bahru checkpoint. Sim, who had just finished his meal at the restaurant, got into his car and attempted to drive away. However, he lost control and crashed into the restaurant, damaging its wall, tables, and chairs. As he tried to reverse out of the premises, he knocked into a stationary vehicle.

Eyewitnesses at the scene, including a diner who identified himself as Mr Tan, recalled the chaotic aftermath. A video of the crash, which circulated online on March 6, showed bystanders screaming as Sim attempted to drive away. A man was later seen persuading him to exit his car.

After the incident, Sim was detained and required to take an alcohol test. His blood alcohol level was found to be 165mg per 100ml, more than three times the legal limit of 50mg per 100ml. When authorities asked him to take a second test, he was reportedly uncooperative.

During the court hearing, Sim pleaded for leniency, stating that he earned around S$5,000 a month and needed to support his family, including three school-going children. Despite this, the court imposed the jail sentence, fine, and driving ban.

Under Malaysian law, the offence of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail and a fine of up to RM30,000. While Sim’s punishment was on the lower end of the scale, it serves as a warning to other motorists about the serious consequences of drink-driving.

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