Consumer group urges permanent bans and jail for drunk and drug-impaired drivers

In George Town, the Consumers' Association of Penang pressed for harsher penalties against motorists who operate vehicles while intoxicated, proposing lifetime bans on driving licences and compulsory jail sentences. N.V. Subbarow, CAP’s senior education officer, warned that such reckless behaviour threatens innocent road users and called for regular police roadblocks, alcohol breath tests and drug screenings.

He also advocated for swift licence revocation, steeper fines and extended imprisonment for repeat violations. The call coincides with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s budget statement, which includes a draft amendment to the Road Transport Act that would make compensation to victims mandatory for accidents caused by drunk or drug-affected drivers. Subbarow stressed that enforcement must be consistent and impartial, and that measures should also prevent alcohol from being stored in vehicles, including motorcycles.