‘Proposed law must be fair to all’
The Malaysian Cabinet has agreed to amend the Road Transport Act to allow for court-ordered compensation to victims of serious traffic accidents. Experts are debating the fairness and implementation of this mechanism, particularly regarding low-income offenders.
Why it matters
This represents a significant shift in legal policy regarding driver accountability and victim restitution in Malaysia.
PETALING JAYA: Experts are divided over the Cabinet’s decision to introduce a road accident compensation mechanism, with some questioning its viability for low-income offenders and others hailing it as a breakthrough for driver accountability.
While safety advocates praise the move as a necessary step to address Malaysia’s surging road accidents, legal experts caution that the proposal could conflict with existing insurance frameworks and public sentiment.
Assoc Prof Dr Law Teik Hua, who heads the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Road Safety Research Centre, backed the proposal, calling it a positive step towards driving up accountability.
“Beyond fines, imprisonment and licence suspensions, requiring offenders to compensate victims or their families reinforces the principle that road crashes carry significant social and economic consequences,” he said.
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