M'sian man, 31, dies in accident on Tuas Second Link on 1st day at new job, leaves behind 1-year-old son

A 31-year-old man died in an accident on the Tuas Second Link bridge on the morning of Jun. 22.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the fatal accident occurred at around 9am that Tuesday as the man, identified as cross-border commuter Sheng Baoyuan (transliteration), was riding his motorcycle into Singapore for work.

It was reportedly his first day at a new job.

Motorcycle believed to have skidded out of control

A friend of Sheng's sister, surnamed Ji, told Shin Min that Sheng had recently taken up a new job as a deliveryman and was on his way to work for the first time that day.

She said it was raining heavily at the time, and that his motorcycle is believed to have skidded out of control.

While a video provided by Ji did not capture the moment of the accident itself, it showed a lorry driving past, and two motorcycles were also seen lying on the road behind it.

Photos circulating online showed Sheng's motorcycle badly damaged, with parts strewn across the road.

Ji said an eyewitness had told the family that Sheng fell off his bike and was struck by a lorry, dying at the scene.

"We hope that more witnesses can come forward and tell us what happened," she said.

Initial findings

According to Shin Min, a statement from the Iskandar Puteri district police said Sheng was thrown from his motorcycle after hitting a vehicle, and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Separately, when Shin Min contacted the Malaysian police overseeing the investigation, they said preliminary findings indicated that Sheng had collided with a multi-purpose vehicle that had stopped in the middle lane due to traffic congestion, and was thrown under a lorry.

A second motorcyclist had also collided with Sheng's motorcycle, sustaining minor injuries.

The police said investigators believe Sheng was not run over by any vehicle.

He added that the lorry driver who was at the scene has been identified and asked to give a statement and assist with investigations.

He stressed that these were preliminary findings and the case remains under investigation, cautioning against drawing conclusions until it is finished.

Leaves behind a one-year-old son

Ji said Sheng used to commute to Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint, but believed he had switched to Tuas Checkpoint after changing jobs, Shin Min reported.

She added that he leaves behind a son who is not yet two years old, and that his family was devastated by the sudden loss.

"He is the pillar of his family. I hope the investigations will reveal the truth," she said.

Sheng's wife also paid tribute to him on Facebook, describing him as a good husband who loved her and their son deeply.

Lorry company denies hit-and-run claim

Relatives of the deceased had alleged online that the lorry driver left the scene after checking on the situation, calling it a hit-and-run.

When Shin Min contacted the Malaysian transport company that owns the lorry involved, a company representative said the lorry had been travelling straight at the time and did not hit anyone.

"The driver did hear a noise coming from behind the vehicle and stopped to investigate. After determining that it was unrelated to the lorry, he continued on his way, so the incident does not constitute a hit-and-run," he said.

He added that the lorry driver is scheduled to give a statement at the police station on Jun. 25, and that the company will cooperate fully with investigations.

"The deceased's relatives and friends have also contacted me, and I've explained what happened to them. I'm not too clear on the specific details of what happened, but the police have said it has nothing to do with us, and we don't want to be wrongly accused," he said.