Rather than suspend alcohol sales, opposition MPs have called for tougher penalties and education programmes as deterrents against drinking and driving.
Yesterday, PAS urged the government to stop the “production, business and sale” of alcoholic beverages until “all measures” against drink-driving were put in place.
The ruling party’s information chief Kamaruzaman Mohamad also proposed that convenience stores be barred from selling alcohol.
In response, Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh said DAP was against drink- driving but deemed Kamaruzaman’s proposals "nonsensical and going overboard”.
“A ban on alcohol is not the answer to the problem of drink-driving. Education, stricter laws and enforcement are. PAS should stop politicising the issue,” he said in a statement.
Using Belgium and the US as examples, Ramkarpal said other countries had employed tougher legislation and education campaigns to reduce drink-driving.
“Greater emphasis ought to be given towards educating the public on the dangers of drink-driving and alcohol abuse in general to avoid more incidents of alcohol-related accidents on the road,” he added.
Former transport minister Anthony Loke similarly urged that stricter laws and law enforcement be employed against drink-driving rather than an outright ban on alcohol sales.
“Our stand is clear. We do not deny the right of non-Muslims to consume alcohol. But after consuming alcohol, one has no right to drive and endanger others.
“Drunk drivers ought to be punished severely. Zero tolerance for drunk drivers,” he said in a separate statement.
During his time in office, Loke said he had proposed that the Road Transport Act 1987 be amended to raise the penalties for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
This included increasing the jail sentence for offenders to between six and 20 years from the present three to 10 years.
He had also suggested that the allowed amount of alcohol in a motorists’ bloodstream be reduced to 50mg per 100ml of blood, and proposed offenders who cause death have their driving licenses suspended for life.
“No matter how strict the laws are, they will not ineffective so long as they are without strict and effective enforcement. Law enforcement officials must possess a high level of integrity and carry out their duties without fear or favour,” Loke added.
Loke successor Wee Ka Siong has since announced that he is working on tougher drink-driving laws.
According to the minister, amendments to the relevant acts will be finalised by mid-June before they are presented to the cabinet. - Mkini
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