Money nearly caused accident on a busy highway

13 years, 10 months ago - 24 January 2011

Malacca, Malaysia - Dozens of Malaysian drivers risked their lives to pick up thousands of coins spilled on a highway after the vehicle carrying the currency overturned, reports said.

Dozens of people leftover their cars along the side of the North-South Expressway, one of the country's main transport arteries, and crazily filled their pockets, helmets and plastic bags with the coins.

The melee caused a traffic jam around the overturned four-wheel drive vehicle which left 70 000 ringgit (around Rs 685 000) in coins strewn across the road on January 18, 2011.

"Fortunately, both of us escaped with minor injuries," said 28-year-old driver Zairulhisham Mansor who, along with a friend, had been taking the coins to shops in the resort town of Malacca.

The New Straits Times said the coin-hunters ignored police demands to clear the road.