THE government is studying whether to seize the assets of convicted traffic offenders who cannot pay court-ordered compensation to the families of road accident victims, Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said today.
The proposed measure is among several mechanisms being examined to ensure victims’ families receive due compensation, including the possibility of imposing additional fines or longer prison terms on offenders who fail to pay, subject to relevant legal provisions.
“Firstly, we take into account the situation where a person is convicted and the court orders them to pay compensation. What happens if they are unable to pay that compensation?” he said in the Dewan Rakyat.
“Under existing provisions in other Acts, if they are unable to pay compensation, there may be additional penalties, either a fine or a heavier prison sentence, on top of the existing punishment.
“Secondly, we are also looking at whether the offender’s assets can be seized. However, I do not want to prejudge the matter, as it is still under study,” he said.
Loke was responding to Datuk Ahmad Saad (PN-Pokok Sena), who asked what mechanisms could ensure the families of road accident victims continued to receive justice when offenders lacked the financial means to pay compensation.
He said the government was open to views from experts across various fields, including Islamic legal scholars, as it considers the proposals.
“We are open to obtaining views from various parties, including experts in Islamic law and Islamic justice.
“However, I want to stress that what we intend to implement will be based on common law, which applies to everyone, not just Muslims. I see this as a universal principle,” he said. - October 15, 2026
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