BUTTERWORTH: The family of Khairizul Mohamad Noor, who died when his motorcycle was rammed by a drunk driver last Sunday, lauded the move to impose heavier penalties on drunk drivers.
His father-in-law, Hassan Ismail, 67, said he was happy that the government was looking at doubling the punishments for drink-driving.
“If nothing is done (against drink-driving), I fear the situation will get out of hand. The drunk drivers will be more brazen and such accidents will continue to rise,” he said at his house in Kampung Bagan Jermal here yesterday morning.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng earlier visited the family and handed a contribution of RM5,000.
Lim, who is Bagan member of parliament, spent 30 minutes with the family.
He said the Transport Ministry was studying the legal framework and practices of other countries in reviewing the Road Transport Act due to the rise in accidents related to drink-driving.
“The Transport Ministry is looking at doubling the punishments for drink-driving from 10 years’ imprisonment to 20 years, and from a RM20,000 fine to RM100,000 under Section 44(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.”
Lim said about 7,000 road fatalities were reported every year.
“The government hopes to lower this figure significantly.”
In the accident last Sunday at Km140.2 of the North-South Expressway near here, Khairizul, 39, was killed, while his wife, Zuriana Hasan, 36, was critically injured. She is warded at Seberang Jaya Hospital and has not regained consciousness.