PETALING JAYA: The death penalty will not be introduced into the Road Transport Act 1987 for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said existing laws such as the Penal Code already have provisions for more serious offences.
Loke said that despite calls from the opposition for the death penalty to be included in the Act, offenders can still be charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
“As far as the government is concerned, we have already stopped mandatory death penalties. So this is not something we are considering, even if the opposition calls for it.
“Without the death sentence provision in the Act, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) can still charge somebody under the Penal Code,” he added.
Loke said this when met by reporters during the Spot It - Road Safety and Blind Spot Awareness Campaign held at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) yesterday.
Loke added that the government is looking to amend the Act by focusing on strengthening support for victims’ families, including requiring offenders to pay compensation.
He also said the government plans to table the amendment to the Act during the upcoming Dewan Rakyat session in June.
“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.
“The Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) and the Road Transport Department (JPJ) are currently working together with the AGC to draft the amendment,” he said.
Last month, Loke said the Transport Ministry is drafting proposals to further amend the law to curb incidents of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, 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, caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
On the recent track fall incident at the Abdullah Hukum station earlier this month, Loke said discussions with Prasarana Malaysia Bhd (Prasarana) had been conducted to explore the installation of platform screen doors (PSDs) and other safety systems across LRT stations.
He said it involves high costs, though the ministry is exploring the most practical ways to install such barriers.
“All stations would need to be modified, as older designs did not include PSDs. These are only available in newer rail systems such as the MRT while the older LRT system, and previously the monorail, did not.
“There are various technologies available – not only doors or barriers, but also systems such as sirens, infrared sensors and others that can alert passengers.
“This is something Prasarana is already working on, and we hope the project can be completed as soon as possible to prevent such incidents from recurring,” he said.
Meanwhile, TAR UMT president Prof Datuk Dr Lee Sze Wei said greater emphasis must be placed on instilling values, awareness and life skills that shape responsible driving behaviour among young people.
He added that road safety is a shared responsibility that must be practised in daily life, stressing that awareness should translate into discipline and caution among road users, particularly the younger generation.
