By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Dec 12: A woman who survived a life-threatening car crash that nearly cost the lives of four people is urging the Road Transport Department (JPJ), the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) and the police to launch a full forensic investigation into a case of sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) and brake failure involving a Malaysian national car brand.
Crash victim and driver Lina Soo said the terrifying incident on July 31, 2025 left all four occupants injured, including two passengers who suffered broken ribs and a bone fracture.
She stressed that the investigation must examine whether any regulatory lapses or undisclosed vehicle defects may have contributed to the crash.
“This statement is issued in the interest of public safety, consumer protection and regulatory oversight,” she told a press conference held at a hotel here today.
She held the press conference after her formal request for intervention made to JPJ and MIROS on Nov 3, 2025 remains unanswered.
Soo, who is also Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Parti Aspirasi) president, recounted that she had been travelling at about 32 km/h along Jalan Takan in Song, heading towards Kapit, when the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own.
She said the brake pedal immediately became limp and unresponsive, offering no resistance despite her efforts to slow the car down. Within nine seconds, the vehicle surged to 94 km/h before crashing into a roadside ditch.
The entire sequence, she added, was recorded on the vehicle’s dashcam between 12:20:40 and 12:20:49, clearly showing the uncontrollable acceleration and total brake failure.
“Had I been on the opposite lane, we would have plunged into the river and people would likely blame it on speeding or careless driving. Worse still, I might not even be here today,” she said.
Soo shared that the national car manufacturer later attributed the crash to a pair of sunglasses allegedly obstructing the accelerator pedal and a plastic water bottle, which Soo said does not belong to her, allegedly blocking the brake pedal.
She firmly disputed these explanations, saying that no engineering, technical or forensic proof has been presented to support claims of foreign objects interfering with the pedals or to verify the vehicle’s electronic control systems at the time of the crash.
Her concerns deepened when she reviewed her service records and found that the authorised service centre had performed a “BCM Software Update Recall Claim” during routine servicing on Sept 12, 2023, without her knowledge or consent.
Soo highlighted that the Body Control Module (BCM) governs key electronic functions such as throttle and acceleration control, brake signal interpretation, vehicle stability and other safety-related systems.
She insisted that there has been no public recall involving the BCM, and questioned why such an update was carried out quietly without notifying the car owner.
“A silent or undisclosed recall may indicate a violation of Malaysian consumer and safety regulations, suggesting prior knowledge of potential systemic issues,” she said, stressing that this discovery requires urgent regulatory scrutiny to protect all Malaysian road users.
Soo appealed to JPJ and MIROS to exercise their statutory powers and ensure that road and consumer safety are not compromised. She repeated her demand for a full, independent forensic investigation into the root cause of the sudden acceleration and brake failure, saying that transparency and accountability are critical.
She also urged the national car manufacturer to provide complete technical data in writing, presented with scientific integrity, rather than offering unverified claims.
“I calso called on JPJ to give regulatory assurance that any manufacturer found conducting concealed corrective actions or silent recalls will be subject to investigation, and that no safety-related action may be performed without public disclosure and consumer consent,” she urged.
Soo formally requested JPJ to seize her vehicle and conduct a transparent, comprehensive forensic analysis, including examination of the Event Data Recorder (EDR), electronic control units, brake and throttle logs, CAN Bus data, and the functioning of the brake override system.
She stressed the need to scientifically test the reproducibility of the manufacturer’s unproven assertion that “foreign objects” obstructed the pedals.
She also urged JPJ to explain the silent BCM software update recall, including any known defects, underlying reasons and actions taken.
“This unexplained incident nearly cost the lives of four people.I remain committed to pursuing this matter through regulatory, legal and public channels to prevent any Malaysian driver and passengers from suffering the life-threatening catastrophe and trauma that my travelling companions and I endured, trauma which continues to haunt us to this da,” she stressed.
Soo emphasised that her appeal is made solely in the interest of public safety and the protection of all Malaysians on the road. — DayakDaily
