Minister says Road Transport Act amendment to come into effect Oct 23 with heavier penalties for road offences

 

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong delivers a speech during the launch of an anti-drink driving campaign in Petaling Jaya September 18, 2020. — Picture by Choo Choy May

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 21 — The Road Transport Act (Amendment) 2020, which carries heavier penalties for traffic offences, particularly related to Sections 41 to 45, will come into operation from October 23, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.

He said the Transport Ministry had received the Appointment of Date of Coming into Operation of the Road Transport (Amendment) Act 2020 instrument from the Attorney General’s Chambers yesterday and today he signed the gazette as the minister.

“We hope the latest amendments will create greater public awareness among road users to obey traffic laws and ensure that our roads will be safer for all,” he said in a statement today.

The amendments include Section 41 of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), involving the offence of causing death by reckless or dangerous driving, namely imprisonment for five to 10 years with a fine of RM20,000 to RM50,000.

Amendments were also made to Section 44 of the same act involving the offence of causing death by reckless or dangerous driving and divided into two categories, namely cases causing injury and those resulting in death.

Those causing death while driving will be jailed between 10 and 15 years and fined between RM50,000 and RM100,000, with the driving licence being disqualified for a period of 10 years for first-time offenders.

The amendment also carries a jail term of 15 to 20 years, a fine not less than RM100,000 and a maximum fine of RM150,000, as well as the licence being disqualified for a period of 20 years, for subsequent offences.

The bill also proposed to amend the new alcohol content limit of 22 microgrammes in 100 millilitres (ml) of breath; 50 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol in 100ml of blood and 67mg of alcohol in 100ml of urine.

Wee said the Road Transport Act (Amendment) 2020 took public views into account via a survey conducted by the ministry involving more than 345,000 respondents, with 94 per cent agreeing with the heavier penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

“The gazettement of these new amendments will serve to greatly strengthen and improve the Road Transport Act 1987 in the interest of Malaysian road users and pedestrians,” he added. — Bernama