Cars wait for the traffic lights at a junction approaching the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur on Jul 14, 2004. (Photo: AFP)KualaLumpur (VNA) – Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke has emphasizedthe need to amend the country’s Road Transport Act to ensure that driversresponsible for causing deaths are banned from driving for life.
Anthonypointed out that Section 41 of the Act states that a driver guilty of causingdeath by reckless driving cannot hold or obtain a driving licence for at leastthree years, stressing that this punishment is not strict enough.
Accordingto the minister, drivers who cause fatal accidents must be banned from drivingfor the rest of their lives.
Asfor the amendment to the Act, Loke said such a change would take some timebecause it needed to be studied and brought to the Attorney General’s Chambersbefore being tabled in Parliament.
Chairmanof the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) Lee Lam Thyeexpressed his support for such a ban. Drastic action needs to be taken to be adeterrent, he said.
Accordingto the current Road Transport Act, besides being banned from driving for atleast three years, offenders will be jailed for 2-10 years, and fined between 5,000-20,000ringgit (1,200-4,800 USD).
Statisticsfrom the Transport Ministry show that around 30,000 traffic accidents occur inMalaysia each year and the figure is on the rise in the recent time.-VNA
Anthonypointed out that Section 41 of the Act states that a driver guilty of causingdeath by reckless driving cannot hold or obtain a driving licence for at leastthree years, stressing that this punishment is not strict enough.
Accordingto the minister, drivers who cause fatal accidents must be banned from drivingfor the rest of their lives.
Asfor the amendment to the Act, Loke said such a change would take some timebecause it needed to be studied and brought to the Attorney General’s Chambersbefore being tabled in Parliament.
Chairmanof the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) Lee Lam Thyeexpressed his support for such a ban. Drastic action needs to be taken to be adeterrent, he said.
Accordingto the current Road Transport Act, besides being banned from driving for atleast three years, offenders will be jailed for 2-10 years, and fined between 5,000-20,000ringgit (1,200-4,800 USD).
Statisticsfrom the Transport Ministry show that around 30,000 traffic accidents occur inMalaysia each year and the figure is on the rise in the recent time.-VNA
VNA
