Road accident victims in Malaysia may soon be able to receive court-ordered compensation under proposed amendments to the Road Transport Act 1987.
The Transport Ministry said the Cabinet has given in-principle approval to the proposal, which aims to ensure road offenders are held accountable not only through fines, imprisonment or licence disqualification, but also for the harm caused to victims and their families.
Courts to determine compensation amount
Under the proposed changes, compensation will not be set by the government or automatically imposed.
Instead, the courts will decide the amount based on the circumstances of each case, including the severity of the offence, injuries suffered or loss of life, the financial losses incurred by victims or their next of kin, and the offender’s ability to pay.
The ministry also clarified that the proposed compensation mechanism will not affect the right of victims or their families to file insurance claims or pursue civil lawsuits through existing legal channels.
Kejara system also set for improvements
The proposed amendments will also strengthen the Road Traffic Offence Demerit Points System (Kejara) to better identify high-risk motorists and repeat offenders.
Among the proposed improvements are clearer procedures for notifying drivers of demerit points, a mechanism for motorists to submit representations and request administrative reviews, as well as the removal or adjustment of demerit points if an offence is not proven or no conviction is recorded.
According to the ministry, the proposed reforms are intended to improve road safety, strengthen accountability and provide better protection for road accident victims and their families. Following the Cabinet’s approval in principle, the ministry will begin drafting the amendments before submitting them to the Cabinet again and later tabling the bill in Parliament.
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