KUALA LUMPUR: There is no necessity to introduce the death penalty into the Road Transport Act 1987 for driving under the influence, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
Loke said existing laws are sufficient to prosecute serious offences and that offenders can still be charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, where applicable.
"As far as the government is concerned, we have already stopped mandatory death penalties," he told reporters on Monday (April 13) after a road safety programme at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT).
"So this is not something we are considering, even if the opposition calls for it.
"The government does not need to do everything that the opposition calls for.
"Without the death sentence provision in the Act, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) can still charge somebody under the Penal Code," he added.
Instead, he said the government is looking to amend the Act by focusing on strengthening support for victims’ families, including requiring offenders to pay compensation.
"What we are amending is to ensure that if offenders are found guilty, then besides a jail sentence and a fine, they are also liable to provide compensation to the victims’ families.
"This is because the current avenue for victims’ families is through civil action, where the process is tedious, costly, and can take a very long time," he said.
He added that the government plans to table the amendment to the Act during the upcoming Dewan Rakyat session in June.
"The Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) and the Road Transport Department (JPJ) are currently working with the AGC to draft the amendment.
"We are formulating the amendments and hope to table them in the June parliamentary sitting," he said.
Last month, Loke said the Transport Ministry is drafting proposals to amend the law to curb drink-driving incidents, including making it mandatory for offenders to compensate victims’ families.
This followed the death of a motorcyclist in a tragic accident on Jalan Raya Barat, Klang, allegedly caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
