GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) hopes the new Road Transport Act (Amendment) 2020, which comes into effect today, will create greater public awareness among drink drivers to obey the traffic rules.
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kadeer said with the law would ensure that the road is safe for all.
"The harsher punishments for drunk driving offenders, who caused death and injuries, is welcomed by many road users.
"CAP hopes the latest amendments will create greater public awareness among the drink drivers that they should obey the traffic rules," he told the New Straits Times.
He also congratulated Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong for the implementation of the amended law.
Mohideen said that CAP had in the past urged the ministry to implement heavier penalty for irresponsible drivers.
"We hope that with this new act, attitudes of drink drivers will be changed and number of deaths due to drunk-driving can be reduced."
On Wednesday, Wee announced that the RTA (Amendment) 2020, which carries heavier penalties for traffic offences particularly related to Sections 41 to 45, would come into force today.
He also hoped that the latest amendments would create greater public awareness amongst road users to obey traffic laws, to ensure the roads would be safer for all.
Amendments to Section 41 of Act 333 on reckless driving that causes death will see first-time offenders getting jail sentence between five and 10 years, fined between RM20,000 and RM50,000 and having their driving licence suspended for five years or more.
Second-time or repeat offenders will face jail sentence between 10 and 15 years, fined between RM50,000 and RM100,000 and have their licence suspended for 10 years.
The current punishments for first-time offenders of reckless driving are a maximum of five years' jail, between RM5,000 and RM15,000 fine with repeat offenders facing a maximum 10 years' jail and fine between RM10,000 and RM20,000.
Under Section 45 of Act 333, on being in charge of vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs, imprisonment is not mandatory.
The first-time offender will have to pay between RM1,000 and RM5,000 fine and they can also be imprisoned for a maximum two years or face licence suspension of two years or more. Repeat offenders will be fined between RM5,000 and RM10,000 or be sent to jail for not more than five years or face licence suspended for five years or more.
For amendments to Section 45 (a) which covers those in charge of a vehicle with an alcohol content above the prescribed limit, the first-time offender will be jailed for not more than two years, fined RM10,000 to RM30,000 and licence suspension of two years or more.
Repeat offenders will be sent to jail for not more than five years, fined between RM20,000 and RM50,000 and licence suspension of five years or more.
Based on amendments to Section 45(g), the prescribed limits for alcohol content will be changed to 22mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath (previously 35mcg), 50mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood (previously 80mg) and 67mg of alcohol in 100ml of urine (previously 107mg).