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Drivers found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be required to compensate their victims under proposed amendments to the Road Transport Act, Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today.

Tabling Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said the move was part of the government’s efforts to take stronger action against dangerous driving and prevent further tragedies on Malaysian roads.

He cited a fatal accident on the East Coast Expressway 1 (LPT1) in Temerloh on the eve of National Day this, which claimed four lives.

Anwar said that as of August this year, 28 fatal cases had been recorded involving drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

“Tragedies like these strike at the heart and remind us that, despite stricter enforcement, violations of the law remain worrying,” said Anwar.

Under the proposed measures, the government will amend the Road Transport Act to make it compulsory for drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs to pay compensation to victims.

The government will also introduce measures to strengthen monitoring of commercial vehicle drivers – usually driving larger vehicles – to improve road safety.

Telematics To Monitor Commercial Vehicles

Anwar said telematics systems would be made compulsory for commercial vehicles to monitor speed, location and risky driving behaviour.

The systems would also be linked to alcohol detection devices to check drivers before they begin their journeys.

Implementation will remain voluntary until 2027 while the government develops a database of drivers to support enforcement efforts.

In addition, Anwar said that Perkeso will provide health screening vouchers for commercial vehicle drivers to detect medical risks that could affect their ability to drive safely.

RM2.5 Billion For Federal Road Maintenance

The government will also increase funding for road maintenance and accelerate repairs to damaged roads, including potholes.

Anwar said the allocation to empower district engineers to expedite small-scale repair projects would be increased to RM40 million.

A total of RM2.5 billion will be provided to maintain federal roads, including nearly RM800 million specifically allocated to contractors in the G1 to G4 categories.

State roads will also receive maintenance funding through the Malaysian Road Records Information System (MARRIS), with an allocation of RM5.7 billion.

Meanwhile, to further protect motorist, especially riding motorcycle, the Malaysian Highway Authority will build 15 motorcycle shelters, install 70 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras along the North-South Expressway (PLUS) and provide 50 electric vehicle charging facilities at strategic locations.

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