JOHOR BARU: Sam Ke Ting’s family has come forward to urge all parties not to turn the case into a racial and political issue.

       Andrew Cheah, founder of charitable organisation Sunflower Charity-KL, conveyed the family’s message after visiting the family on April 14.

       Cheah told Sin Chew Daily that despite worrying about Sam, the family remained positive, Sin Chew's English portal mySinChew reported.

       The family also reiterated that it had not raised funds nor sought public donations over the matter, he said.

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       The family wanted to focus on Sam’s court case and did not wish the case to become more complicated with intervention from political parties and the media, Cheah said.

       Cheah visited Sam's mother after the latter contacted him on April 13, the day Sam was convicted by the High Court and sentenced to six years' jail and a fine of RM6,000.

       Sam, 27, was sent straight to jail as High Court Judge Datuk Abu Bakar Katar rejected her request for a stay of execution pending appeal.

       Sam had earlier been acquitted twice by the Magistrate’s Court before the High Court found her guilty last week.

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       Justice Abu Bakar ruled that the magistrate had erred in accepting Sam’s defence.

       The incident took place at Jalan Lingkaran Dalam, Johor Baru, at 3.20am on Feb 18, 2017.

       The eight cyclists who died were Mohamad Azrie Danish Zulkefli, 14; Muhamad Shahrul Izzwan Azzuraimie, 14; Muhammad Firdauz Danish Mohd Azhar, 16; Fauzan Halmijan, 13; Mohamad Azhar Amir, 16; Muhammad Harith Iskandar Abdullah, 14; Muhammad Shahrul Nizam Marudin, 14; and Haizad Kasrin, 16.