KUALA LUMPUR: The Transport Ministry is proposing amendments to the Road Transport Act to require offenders convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs to compensate victims or their next of kin.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Section 426 of the Criminal Procedure Code already provided for compensation, but the proposal would make it an additional punishment alongside fines and imprisonment.
"The proposal would cover cases resulting in death, serious injury or permanent disability.
"The court would decide the compensation based on the facts, evidence and circumstances of each case.
"Compensation ordered against offenders would be separate from insurance payouts, and victims or their next of kin would retain the right to seek compensation from the offender's insurer through civil proceedings," he said
Loke was winding up the debate on the 2027 Supply Bill for his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He said the ministry acknowledged the challenge of collecting compensation from offenders who lacked the financial means to pay and was exploring suitable mechanisms to ensure victims and their families remained protected.
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