16yo M’sian boy accidentally reverses car into food court, causing injuries to several customers

MALAYSIA: A food court mishap occurred in Tanjung Kling in Melaka, involving a 16-year-old boy who inadvertently reversed a car, causing 13 customers, including children, to scatter in alarm.

During the incident at 2.43pm on Sunday (27 Aug), some of the customers sustained minor injuries, as reported by Central Melaka district police chief Assistant Commissioner Christopher Patit.

The teenager was told by his 51-year-old mother to warm up the vehicle’s engine.

“The teen was asked by his mother to start the MPV, but he accidentally stepped on the accelerator, reversing the vehicle into diners,” ACP Christopher stated.

The situation unfolded as their multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), a Toyota Avanza, initially collided with a neighboring parked car before plowing into diners within the food court area.

“The Proton Suprima S car sustained damage to the doors as a result of the incident, but the teenager escaped unhurt,” he said in a statement.

It was also disclosed that the teenager and his family were on vacation there when the accident occurred, captured by a surveillance camera at the eatery.

Police are actively investigating the case under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, addressing the issue of careless driving.

The incident’s aftermath was recorded in a 22-second video clip that depicted the MPV crashing into food court customers, a video which subsequently gained online notoriety.

According to several media reports, a total of 11 customers were hit by the car.

However, the police have stated that they are unaware of the precise count of customers implicated in the event or their state, given that no individuals have yet stepped forward to lodge a police report.

A video of the accident was also captured by a dashboard camera and was uploaded on Facebook.

The accident sparks online debate among netizens

Malaysian netizens question whether it was really accidental, as the boy was only told to start the engine.

A netizen believes that the parents should be held responsible.

Another netizen commented that the boy should not be asked to start the engine in the first place.

Someone also expressed their concern for the child who got hit and went underneath the car, hoping that the child did not sustain serious injuries.