Anwar: Motorists in drug- and alcohol-linked road accidents to pay victims

BUDGET 2027 | Motorists who cause harm while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be required to compensate their victims once the Road Transport Act is amended to allow this, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced today.

Tabling Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said 28 fatal cases involving drunk or drug-impaired drivers had been recorded as of August.

“This truly shocks our conscience. Although enforcement has been tightened, violations remain worrying.

“Therefore, as a more stringent measure, the government will amend the Road Transport Act to require drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs to pay compensation to victims,” he said.

The announcement follows a series of fatal crashes this year involving drivers suspected or confirmed to have been under the influence.

Among them was a March 29 crash in Klang that killed 33-year-old motorcyclist Amirul Hafiz Omar (below) after a car entered the opposite lane and struck his motorcycle. Police said the driver tested positive for alcohol and drugs.

Another case in Klang in May involved 27-year-old Zulfiqar Zamir Amirul Nizam, who reportedly died after spending 13 days in a coma following a collision with a car allegedly driven against traffic for several kilometres by an intoxicated driver.

In July, Transport Minister Anthony Loke told Parliament that 24 fatal crashes involving drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs had been recorded from Jan 1 to May 31, out of 48 such crashes during that period.

Police also arrested 912 motorists for driving under the influence over the same five-month period.

Telematics systems

Anwar today also announced that telematics systems will be made mandatory in commercial vehicles to monitor speed, location and risky driving patterns, including through alcohol detection systems.

Socso will meanwhile provide health screening vouchers to commercial vehicle drivers to detect medical conditions that could affect their ability to drive safely.

There have been months of calls for tougher action against drunk and drug-impaired drivers.

In March, Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh urged the government to introduce mandatory compensation for victims’ families, while Abim called for fatal cases to be treated as culpable homicide.

Law and Institutional Reform Minister Azalina Othman Said previously said the government should also review existing penalties to provide a stronger deterrent. 

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