No need for death penalty for drunk driving, says Loke

 

There is no need to introduce the death penalty under the Road Transport Act for offences involving driving under the influence, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke. NSTP/ASWADI ALIAS

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no need to introduce the death penalty under the Road Transport Act for offences involving driving under the influence, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

He said existing laws already allowed serious cases to be prosecuted under murder provisions, specifically Section 302 of the Penal Code, where appropriate.

He said Malaysia had already abolished the mandatory death penalty, and the government has no plans to reintroduce it for such offences.

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"As far as the government is concerned, we have already abolished mandatory death penalties.

"So this is not something we are considering," he told reporters after a road safety programme at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT).

Instead, Loke said the government was focusing on strengthening the Road Transport Act to ensure victims' families receive compensation without having to undergo lengthy civil proceedings. - NST

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