‘Proposed amendments to Act 333 on drunk driving to be tabled next Parliament sitting’

The government views seriously cases of fatal road accidents involving drunk drivers and will take immediate steps to ensure the proposed amendments to the Road Transport Act or Act 333 can be tabled at the next Parliament sitting.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan said the proposed amendments would not only involve provisions relating to drunk driving that causes injury or death in Section 44 but also driving under the influence of alcohol under Section 45 of the law.

“The government supports recommendations by the Transport Ministry to impose a mandatory jail sentence on drivers who are arrested for drunk driving, where under the existing provision, it is under the discretion of the court," he said in a statement today.

Takiyuddin said the proposed higher fine and longer imprisonment would enable the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to prosecute the offenders at the Sessions Court.

For deterrent measures, he said the government would discuss with the AGC for deaths in road crashes caused by drunk drivers to be investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder or Section 307 of the same law for attempted murder.

“Apart from that, the police should also assist families of the victims in fatal accidents due to drunk drivers to file a civil suit in court," he added.

Despite the government's firmness on the issue of fatal accidents involving drunk drivers, he said, it did not mean that non-Muslims are denied of their right to drink alcohol.

Non-Muslims can take alcoholic drinks but they have to comply with all the relevant laws, he added.

- Bernama