Rightists slam Kasthuri Patto for rejecting death penalty as ultimate solution to curb drunk driving

 

DAP International secretary Kasthuri Patto has come under fire for opposing the idea of imposing death penalty on drunk drivers who cause death on grounds that this will not put an end to the irresponsibility of those who drink excessively and drive.

This came about as the former two-term Batu Kawan MP described the call by Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal to consider capital punishment in light of the heinous manner a family breadwinner lost his life in the recent road carnage in Klang as “a failed theory and one that is very colonial in approach”.

“I vehemently condemn the irresponsible act of the driver who consumed alcohol and drugs and drove in such a dangerous manner that resulted in a family scarred for life losing their loved one – an innocent man, a father and husband,” she penned in a recent media statement.

“(But) as a lawmaker, he (Wan Fayhsal) should back his calls by data, statistics and using international standards and best practices and not a knee-jerk reaction like this.

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“Looking at success stories in Europe which is the largest consumer of beer might help instead of proposing the death penalty alone for drunk driving.”

Secular law approach

On the contrary, the vocal anti-death penalty advocate agreed with stiffer and harsher penalties but cautioned that “this cannot be done without greater and regular enforcement, education and awareness as well as infrastructure in place”.

“Higher fines with longer sentences will work AFTER the crime is committed,” she opined probably in reference to the Section 44 of the Road Transport Act 1987 in which offenders can be jailed for 10 to 15 years and fined RM50,000 to RM100,000 while repeat offences carry heavier penalties.

(However), the focus should also be equally important in the BEFORE the accident happens. Prevention is the key to reducing casualties and fatalities due to drunk driving.

We must move beyond race and religion on the subject of alcohol abuse and drunk driving. An innocent life lost is mourned by all of us regardless of race or religion.

We share the grief of all families who have lost loved ones due to this morose behaviour and we stand united in condemning those who choose to sit behind the wheel while being intoxicated.

This is a war against irresponsible drunk-drivers and not against any race or religion or the alcohol itself.

However. the 47-year-old who is married to French citizen Alain Morvan on May 6, 2022 found herself bashed across Malay news portals, predominantly by the rightist faction who is seemingly politicising the road accident by drawing semblance to the unabated illegal temple polemic.

Inevitably many emotional and racist brickbats were hurled at Kasthuri who is accused of siding “the geng todi by backing up a murderer”, hence “testing the thinning tolerance of the majority group”.

Some even prayed that ministers and whoever for that matter who backed up the suspect “get hit by a drunk driver along with their family members”.

At the end of the day, the message is clear and simple: the Malays have become victims in their motherland as they are increasingly subject to the whims and fancies of the pendatang (immigrant) tribe”.

Eventually, this could be election ploy orchestrated by the opportunist Opposition front to undermine the ruling Madani government by taking a swipe at the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition/DAP. 

- focus malaysia