Transport minister rules out death penalty for drunk driving, pushes compensation instead

KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 — The government has ruled out introducing the death penalty for offences under the Road Transport Act 1987, including cases involving driving under the influence, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today.

He said existing legal provisions remain sufficient to deal with serious offences, noting that offenders can still be charged under the Penal Code, including Section 302 for murder where applicable, The Star reported.

“As far as the government is concerned, we have already stopped mandatory death penalties,” he told reporters after a road safety programme at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology here.

“So this is not something we are considering, even if the Opposition calls for it,” he added.

Instead of reintroducing capital punishment, Loke said the focus is on strengthening victim protection through amendments to the law, including provisions requiring convicted offenders to pay compensation to victims’ families.

“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 was quoted as saying.

Loke said the proposed amendments are expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in June, with the Road Transport Department and the Land Public Transport Agency currently working with the Attorney General’s Chambers on drafting the changes.

He added that the ministry is also reviewing wider reforms to curb drink-driving cases following a fatal accident in Klang last month involving a motorcyclist and a driver suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and drugs.