KUALA LUMPUR: First time drink driving offenders will be faced with a RM100,000 fine and a jail term of 15 years, while repeat offenders will face a RM150,000 fine and 20-year jail term. Suspension of licenses will also be increased from 10 years to 20.
All these heavier punishments and penalties await offenders if proposed changes to the law come into effect, according to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.
“The amendment to the Road Transport Act 1987 is in the midst of being finalised.
“Currently, the penalty for first-time offenders is a 10-year imprisonment and RM20,000 fine.
“We are doing this because we are serious about drink-driving. As we all know, this year alone, there are already 12 deaths involving drink-driving,“ Wee told the Dewan Rakyat, when asked by Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (Umno-Arau) on the penalties the public can expect with the amendments to the current act.
Meanwhile, Wee stressed: “If you have been drinking or you are already drunk, do not drive, if you still drive, you will have to pay the price.”
Besides the heavier punishments, the amendments to Section 41 through Section 45 will lower the permitted alcohol levels in an individual’s blood, breath and urine.
“We decided to adopt the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) benchmark on the permissible alcohol content in an individual’s system. We have been very lenient. The 35 micrograms per 100 ml of breath allowance will soon be reduced to 22 micrograms per 100 ml of breath.
“The current blood alcohol content (BAC) at 80 milligrams (mg) per 100 ml of blood will be reduced to 50 mg per 100 ml of blood and the alcohol content in urine, from 107 mg per 100 ml of urine to 67 mg per 100 ml of urine.”
Wee said the Attorney-General’s Chambers has completed the draft for the proposed amendments which will be brought to the Cabinet on July 17.
Road Transport Department (RTD) enforcement officers will be given authority to make arrests.
There are also plans to purchase more Evidential Breathalyzer Analysers.
During a press conference held at the same venue, Wee added that action will be taken against those who try to evade breathalyser tests or quickly park by the road on seeing police roadblocks ahead.
“We decided on tougher punishment after considering the views of 323,000 respondents on the issue as 94% of the total respondents wanted harsher punishments. The voices were too big to be ignored.
“Drink-driving, driving under the influence of drugs and reckless driving are extremely serious offenses,” he reiterated and said, more will be done to drive the message.
“We need to educate the children on the dangers and also adults, on how to handle friends who insist on driving when they are already drunk. Other countries have already enforced strict laws and and it is time Malaysia do the same.
“You can drink but don’t put others in danger,” he emphasised.
