Minister Azalina Othman Said calls for heavier penalties for drunk driving, stating current fines are too lenient and fail to deter offenders effectively.
KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said has called for a review of penalties for drunk driving offences.
She stated that current provisions are too lenient and lack a strong deterrent effect on the public.
Azalina emphasised the need for legal amendments to reflect the seriousness of such crimes.
She argued that offenders may view existing fines as merely a payable cost without real consequence.
“From a legal standpoint, penalties for road traffic offences are still relatively light,” she told reporters after a conference.
The minister, who is also a legal practitioner, believes heavier penalties are necessary to instil fear and caution.
“In my view, people may only take such offences seriously when faced with heavier penalties,” she added.
She suggested that the perception of reducible fines, like a RM50,000 penalty, undermines the law’s impact.
Her comments follow a fatal crash in Klang on March 29 involving an intoxicated driver.
The incident claimed the life of 33-year-old motorcyclist Amirul Hafiz Omar.
