DRIVERS under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be required to compensate victims under proposed amendments to the Road Transport Act, as the government steps up efforts to curb fatal crashes and improve road safety under Budget 2027.
The move follows 28 fatal cases involving drivers suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs recorded up to August this year. A crash on the East Coast Expressway 1 in Temerloh on the night of National Day killed four people, including a married couple and their young child.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today that the government will also require telematics systems to be installed in commercial vehicles to monitor speed, location and risky driving behaviour, with the systems linked to alcohol-detection devices to check drivers before they begin their journeys.
Voluntary implementation will continue until 2027 as the government develops a driver database to support enforcement. The Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) will also provide health-screening vouchers for commercial vehicle drivers to identify medical risks that could affect their ability to drive safely.
On public transport, the My50 travel pass will continue for 300,000 Prasarana bus and rail users in the Klang Valley, while a new MyKomuter50 pass will be introduced for 40,000 KTM Komuter passengers. The latter is expected to save users an average of up to RM160 a month.
Free travel passes will also be provided to 360,000 school pupils, people with disabilities and children under six.
The government has directed Prasarana and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) to take immediate action to improve train reliability following repeated service disruptions affecting commuters.
As a longer-term measure, Prasarana will invest more than RM3.4 billion in a comprehensive rail service recovery programme. The government will also acquire 42 new train sets for the Electric Train Service (ETS) and KTM Komuter.
Phase One of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), from Kota Bharu to the Gombak Integrated Transport Terminal, is expected to begin operations in December. Malaysia and China have also agreed to extend the line to Rantau Panjang, while a bus station will be built at the ECRL's Kota Bharu station to improve connectivity for Kelantan residents.
A further RM270 million will be allocated to expand stage-bus services in major cities, including connections to 15 stations on the east coast ahead of the ECRL's opening.
The government and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) will provide RM1.1 billion to improve roads around ports and airports, including those serving Kota Kinabalu, Miri, Tawau, Sandakan and Penang, as well as the STOLports at Long Banga and Ba'Kelalan in Sarawak.
For road maintenance, the allocation to district engineers for accelerating small-scale repairs, including pothole repairs, will increase to RM40 million.
The government will provide RM2.5 billion to maintain Federal roads, including nearly RM800 million earmarked for G1-G4 contractors, while RM5.7 billion will be channelled through the Malaysian Road Records Information System (MARRIS) fund to repair state roads.
The Malaysian Highway Authority will also build 15 motorcycle shelters, install 70 closed-circuit television cameras along PLUS highways and provide 50 electric vehicle charging facilities at strategic locations. - October 9, 2026
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