PUTRAJAYA, Oct 12 2026 – Proposed amendments to the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333) that would require drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs to compensate accident victims are expected to be tabled in the first parliamentary sitting next year, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today.
He said the Cabinet had given in-principle approval to the policy several months ago, and the Transport Ministry is now preparing the policy paper and draft Bill together with the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“The Land Transport Division is preparing the policy paper and the Bill. However, it will take some time before it can be tabled in Parliament as it involves various technical considerations. Perhaps we are targeting the first parliamentary session next year. Hopefully, because right now we are still a work in progress,” Loke told a press conference here.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when tabling Budget 2027 last Friday, had announced that the Road Transport Act would be amended to make it mandatory for motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs to pay compensation to their victims. Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, noted that 28 deaths involving drunk or drug-impaired drivers had been recorded up to August this year.
Loke said the proposed amendments seek to combine the existing criminal and civil processes so that courts can award compensation to victims as part of the proceedings against the offenders. Under the current system, drivers who cause accidents while under the influence face criminal charges, while victims seeking compensation must file separate civil suits — a process that can be lengthy and costly.
“This is where the problem lies because some victims do not have the means to file a civil case and it will take years to get the compensation from a civil case,” he said.
He explained that the proposed mechanism would allow judges to award compensation to victims when cases are brought before the court, without requiring them to pursue separate civil proceedings. Loke said the approach is consistent with both universal principles of justice and Islamic principles that emphasise compensation for victims or their families for the harm suffered.
“This is a universal principle and is very much an Islamic principle as well,” he said, referring to the concept of diyah.
(Life News Agency)
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