Dateline: BUKIT MERTAJAM, PENANG — November 4, 2026
A routine attempt to find a parking space ended in a frightening collision in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, after a car suddenly crashed through the entrance of a household goods store, trapping a 64-year-old customer between the vehicle and a cabinet.
The incident happened at approximately 9.30am on Tuesday, November 3, at a shop along Jalan Besar in Machang Bubok, opposite the local government clinic and police station.
The woman suffered a fractured foot and was taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment. No fatalities were reported.
The 70-year-old driver reportedly told reporters that his foot slipped onto the accelerator when he intended to press the brake while parking. Police attended the scene and began investigating the circumstances of the collision.
The incident has drawn attention because the vehicle entered a business premises where customers and employees were going about an ordinary morning.
A Search for Parking Ended With a Car Inside the Store
According to reports by Oriental Daily and WeirdKaya, the driver had earlier brought his wife to a nearby clinic for a medical appointment.
He remained in the vehicle while waiting for her. After more than an hour, he reportedly noticed an available parking space in front of the household goods store.
He then moved his car toward the space, intending to park before attending to his own medical appointment.
However, the driver said that while attempting to apply the brakes, his foot slipped and pressed the accelerator instead.
The vehicle surged forward and crashed into the shop.
The explanation came from the driver in comments to reporters at the scene. It should not be treated as a final determination of the cause, as police were still investigating the incident.
Customer Trapped Between the Car and a Cabinet
At the time of the collision, the 64-year-old customer was reportedly inside the shop near the counter, speaking with a female employee.
The car struck her and pushed her against a cabinet, leaving her trapped between the vehicle and the shop fixtures.
A 51-year-old employee, identified in Oriental Daily’s report as Zhang Liqiong, witnessed the incident.
She described being shocked when the vehicle suddenly entered the premises. The customer was injured and called out in pain, prompting Zhang to tell the driver to reverse the car slightly so the woman could be freed.
Zhang said a concrete wall behind the cabinet helped stop the vehicle from moving farther into the shop.
She also explained that she had been standing behind the counter because of discomfort in her own leg. Had she been standing in front of it, she believed she might also have been struck.
The employee said she had worked at the store for around 10 years and had never witnessed a vehicle crash into the premises before.
Driver Reversed the Car as Bystanders Called for Help
After the collision, the driver reportedly reversed the vehicle and got out to check on the situation.
People at the scene called for an ambulance, and the injured woman was transported to hospital accompanied by her elder sister.
Oriental Daily reported that merchandise and broken fragments were scattered around the store following the impact. The vehicle’s front bumper was also dislodged.
The driver reportedly apologised after the incident.
Traffic police subsequently arrived and began investigating the circumstances of the crash. The reports reviewed did not provide a final police finding or announce any charge against the driver.
Why the Location Matters: A Shopfront Beside a Busy Clinic
The employee also pointed to the area’s parking habits as part of the wider context.
The shop is opposite a government clinic, which regularly attracts patients and visitors. According to her account, some motorists park near the businesses before walking across to the clinic.
That means vehicles, pedestrians, customers and shop employees can be moving around the same relatively confined area.
The available reports do not establish that the parking arrangement caused the crash. However, the location illustrates why vehicle movements near shop entrances and pedestrian areas deserve particular care.
A vehicle moving unexpectedly into a shop can place customers and employees at risk, even when the driver is attempting what should be a routine manoeuvre.
Penang Has Seen Other Vehicle-Into-Building Incidents
The Machang Bubok crash is not the only recent Malaysian incident involving a vehicle entering a business premises.
In October, WWC One Media reported that a woman buying breakfast at a food stall in Luyang, Kota Kinabalu, was struck when a parked car suddenly moved forward and entered the premises. Police said preliminary findings indicated that the driver had apparently failed to secure the vehicle’s gear properly.
Read: https://wwconemedia.com/woman-injured-after-car-suddenly-crashes-into-food-stall-in-sabah/
Another incident reported by WWC One Media involved a Singapore-registered vehicle that rammed into a food stall in Johor Bahru after an earlier confrontation. Police were searching for the driver, and the case involved a different set of circumstances from the Penang parking collision.
Read: https://wwconemedia.com/singapore-registered-car-rams-johor-bahru-food-stall-before-driver-flees/
Penang itself also experienced a separate incident in September involving a 14-year-old who allegedly drove a family car and collided with two other vehicles. No injuries were reported in that case.
Read: https://wwconemedia.com/malaysia-teen-14-crashes-family-car-into-two-vehicles-in-penang/
These incidents are not necessarily connected, and their causes differ. Taken together, however, they show how vehicle movements in areas shared with pedestrians and businesses can become dangerous under very different circumstances.
The Bigger Question: Are Shopfronts and Parking Areas Safe Enough for Pedestrians?
For the injured customer, a visit to a household goods store ended with a trip to hospital. For the employee who witnessed the collision, an ordinary working morning became an experience she said she would not forget.
The driver’s account points to a possible pedal-control mistake, but investigators must establish the circumstances before the cause and any responsibility can be determined.
The incident also raises a broader question for local authorities, property owners and motorists: how can busy shopfronts be better protected from vehicles that unexpectedly move forward?
Parking spaces close to shop entrances may be convenient, especially near clinics and other frequently visited locations. But convenience should not come at the expense of pedestrian safety.
A single unexpected vehicle movement can affect customers, workers and people who are simply passing by.
For now, the injured woman is receiving medical attention, while police continue examining the collision. The most important unanswered question is not simply how the car entered the shop, but what can be done to reduce the chances of a similar incident happening again.
