THE government is proposing amendments to the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333) that would empower courts to order offenders convicted of serious traffic offences to pay compensation to victims or their next of kin.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the proposed amendments would introduce a legal mechanism enabling courts to award compensation in road crashes involving fatalities or serious injuries based on the facts and merits of each case.
He said the amount of compensation would take into account factors including the severity of injuries or loss of life, the financial losses suffered by victims or their families, and the offender's ability to pay.
"This demonstrates the government's commitment that drivers who cause death through dangerous and reckless driving will not be treated as ordinary traffic offenders, but will instead face the most severe legal action appropriate to the circumstances of each case," he said during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.
Loke was responding to a question from Datuk Yusuf Abd Wahab (GPS-Tanjong Manis), who asked about the government's measures to eradicate illegal street racing following the fatal crash at Simpang Renggam on June 1 and whether harsher punishments would be imposed on illegal racers responsible for causing deaths.
The minister said the government had already taken firm and comprehensive measures to combat illegal street racing through the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2026, which was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on June 24.
The legislation introduces a new Section 42A, creating a specific offence for illegal street racing.
Under the new provision, first-time offenders face fines of between RM2,000 and RM10,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. Repeat offenders may be fined between RM5,000 and RM20,000, jailed for up to five years, or receive both penalties.
Loke said enforcement agencies under the Ministry of Transport had also stepped up nationwide operations targeting illegal street racing activities.
Addressing calls for tougher punishment for illegal racers whose actions result in fatalities, he said existing laws already provide severe penalties in appropriate cases.
"In the Simpang Renggam case, the Attorney General's Chambers directed that investigations be conducted under Section 302 of the Penal Code, namely a murder charge carrying the death penalty or imprisonment of not less than 30 years and not more than 40 years, together with at least 12 strokes of the cane if the death penalty is not imposed," he said.
The crash on Jalan Renggam-Kluang on June 1 claimed the lives of four members of a family after two luxury cars were allegedly being driven at excessive speed and in a reckless manner.
Loke added that the proposed amendments reflected the government's broader commitment to strengthening road safety, increasing accountability for dangerous driving and ensuring victims and their families receive greater legal protection and access to compensation. - July 14, 2026
