Dr Wee: Road Transport Act being reviewed to ensure harsher penalties against drunk drivers

PETALING JAYA: The Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333) is being reviewed to ensure harsher penalties against drunk drivers, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The review was not an easy process as it involves several parties such as the Road Transport Department (JPJ), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Attorney General, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) and even the public, he added.

"Is it wrong for me to urge people to use taxi or e-hailing services to avoid accidents due to drunk driving?

"We are not encouraging drunk people to drive because it is feared that they will cause accidents. It will not just risk their lives but also the lives of other road users," he said in a Facebook post on Monday (May 4).

In the post, he also hits out at detractors for twisting his words. Dr Wee posted his earlier statement on the subject matter to prove detractors took his statement out of context.

The statement released earlier noted that JPJ had been told to review the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), especially on Section 41 to Section 45, to provide heavier penalties to drunk drivers.

In that statement, Dr Wee stressed for drivers to not drive under the influence and instead to use taxi or e-hailing services to avoid unintended incidents from happening especially involving the death of innocent road users.

"My advice to irresponsible parties who twisted my statement is for them to repent and to stop such actions that do not benefit the public," said Dr Wee in the Facebook post.