Punishment must be tied to intent and circumstances

THE gruesome death of a motorcyclist, who was hit and killed by a driver believed to be under the influence of alcohol and drugs, in Klang on Sunday (March 29) has got politicians calling for the death penalty for such cases.

This is a knee-jerk reaction. Cases involving driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI) that lead to death often spark public outrage, and it’s not unusual to hear calls for the harshest possible punishment to be imposed on the guilty person.