KUALA LUMPUR: The government is considering seizing the assets of motorists convicted of serious traffic offences to pay compensation to road accident victims and their families, transport minister Loke Siew Fook said today.
He said the proposal was among the measures being studied to ensure that families receive compensation, particularly when offenders cannot afford to pay.
"We are also looking at whether offenders’ assets can be seized," he told the Dewan Rakyat.
Loke said the government was also looking at whether offenders who failed to pay compensation could face heavier fines or jail terms, as provided for under other laws.
However, he said no decision had been made on how the proposed compensation system would work.
He was responding to Ahmad Saad (PN-Pokok Sena), who asked how families would receive compensation if offenders could not pay, especially in light of lost income and living expenses following an accident.
Loke said the Cabinet agreed in principle on July 15 to amend the Road Transport Act 1987 to allow courts to order motorists convicted of serious offences to compensate victims or their families.
The proposed compensation would be on top of existing punishments such as jail, fines and driving bans, and would cover offences involving deaths, serious injuries or permanent disabilities.
Loke said the transport ministry was working with other government agencies to finalise the details, with plans to table the amendments in Parliament in early 2027.
Ahmad also asked whether the government would consider the Islamic principle of "diyat" or financial compensation to victims or their families.
Loke said the ministry was open to views from Islamic legal experts, but stressed that the proposed law would apply to everyone, regardless of religion.
Responding to Syahredzan Johan (PH-Bangi), Loke said the amendments would also improve the traffic demerit points system.
He said the present system was ineffective because points were only recorded after motorists paid their summonses, weakening its ability to discourage dangerous driving.