FT Minister Offers Explanation After His Outriders Were Seen Blocking An Ambulance
The incident was captured in a video that went viral over the week.
By Sadho Ram — 08 Dec 2019, 03:25 PM
Federal Territories Minister Khalid Abdul Samad has denied an allegation that his convoy with police escorts blocked an ambulance after the incident was captured on a video on Wednesday
On the day of the incident, which took place during rush hour, an ambulance that was responding to an emergency at Jalan Istana was seen on video being forced to give way to the FT Minister's convoy.
However, according to a statement on Friday, 6 December by the office of the Federal Territories Minister, the outriders had cut ahead of the ambulance in order to clear a path for it through heavy traffic.
What happened was that the ambulance was stuck in heavy traffic congestion.
The issue was misreported and that the convoy was actually "clearing a path" for the ambulance during traffic congestion, the statement stated, a copy of which was posted on the FT Minister's Twitter account.
The outriders that were escorting the FT Minister's vehicle "had intercepted the ambulance to clear a path" so that both the ambulance and minister's vehicle could pass, according to the explanation offered
"As a result, the minister's vehicle and the ambulance both managed to get through traffic and continue on their journeys smoothly after Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) traffic officers cleared the way," it said.
On his Twitter account, Khalid also tweeted a video of the incident taken from DBKL's Integrated Traffic Information System (ITIS) that showed the ambulance following the outriders through heavy traffic
However, netizens expressed doubts over Khalid's explanation
"The video contradicts your statement, Mr Minister," wrote one user under a Malaysiakini report.
"You can spin as much as you like but the video clearly shows your outriders clearing the way for YOU and prevented the ambulance from continuing on with its journey until your vehicle had moved on ahead of the ambulance," the user added.
Another user commented that before the minister's convoy came along, "the path was already clear for the ambulance" as the cars were seen giving way to the ambulance.
"The ambulance clearly had to stop and then move aside for your convoy. Only after your convoy of three cars had passed, did you allow the ambulance to merge back in behind your last car. Your last car even cut in front of the ambulance," read the comment.
"The video shows ambulance have to give way la.."
