00:02The cabinet has agreed in principle to amend the Road Transport Act 1987, known as Act 333,
00:09to allow courts to order compensation for road accident victims or their next of kin.
00:15Transport Minister Anthony Lok says the move is meant to hold offenders accountable,
00:19not just to the law, but to the people affected by their actions.
00:39He says compensation would be decided case by case, factoring in the severity of the offence, injuries or loss of
00:47life, and the offender's ability to pay.
00:50The proposal would apply to a range of offences, including drink or drug driving and reckless driving.
00:55Lok stressed the mechanism won't affect victims' existing rights to insurance claims or civil action.
01:35The ministry will now draft the amendments, hold engagement sessions with stakeholders, including the insurance industry,
01:41before resubmitting to cabinet and tabling it in parliament, targeted for the year-end sitting.
01:46The proposal also includes plans to strengthen the Kejara demerit point system as part of broader road safety efforts.
01:53Lok says he'll propose a special parliamentary committee to review the bill in detail,
01:58aiming for cross-party support before it becomes law.
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