No need death penalty for DUI cases, enough to charge offenders with murder: Loke

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government is not considering amending the Road Transport Act to include the death penalty, as Malaysia has abolished the mandatory death sentence, and because there are other laws such as the Penal Code to deal with driving under the influence cases that result in death. - Bernama pic, April 16, 2026


No need death penalty for DUI cases, enough to charge offenders with murder: Loke


Transport Minister says Penal Code can be used, govt wants to focus on ensuring compensation for DUI victims’ families


Scoop Reporters
Updated 2 minutes ago
13 April, 2026
12:55 PM MYT



KUALA LUMPUR — The Transport Ministry has no plans to introduce the death penalty in the Road Transport Act for driving under the influence (DUI) offences, said minister Anthony Loke.

He said Malaysia had abolished the mandatory death penalty, and there are other existing laws to deal with serious cases resulting in death.

“As far as the government is concerned, we have already abolished mandatory death penalties.

“So this is not something we are considering,” media reported Loke saying today after a road safety programme at the Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology .

The government is, however, looking at ensuring compensation for crash victims’ families and this will be incorporated into the Road Transport Act.

Loke also noted that drink-driving offenders who cause the death of others can already be charged with murder.

This is the current status of the case involving Sakthygaanapathy Ravichandran, 28, who tested positive for drugs and alcohol while overtaking vehicles before allegedly killed Amirul Hafiz Omar, 33, who was riding his motorcycle on the opposite lane.

Sakthygaanapathy was charged with murder on April 1 over the collision that occurred in Klang on March 29.

Section 302 of the Penal Code on murder carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years. As the death penalty is no longer mandatory in Malaysia, judges may ops to sentence the offender to at least 12 strokes of the cane, in addition to imprisonment.

Following the horrific accident and calls for the death penalty by some lawmakers, Loke on March 30 said his ministry is drafting further amendments to the Road Transport Act that would compel offenders to pay compensation to the families of victims of fatal accidents.

Current fines for DUI offences are between RM50,000 to RM100,000 for first time offenders, and RM100,000 to RM150,000 for repeat offenders.

Current jail terms are between 10 to 15 years for first time offenders, and 15 to 20 years for repeat offenders. – April 13, 2026

***

Good onya Anthony, we don't want tp hear nor know about capital punishment anymore - leave that to the wanks and shailoks - despicable barbaric inhuman sentences, not for us of Malaysian civilization lah!

Murder charges in DUI deaths signal a potential shift in Malaysia’s legal approach

Two DUI drivers face murder indictments carrying the death penalty, as prosecutors argue their actions were 'so imminently dangerous' that death was a near certainty. - Pexels pic, April 12, 2026


Murder charges in DUI deaths signal a potential shift in Malaysia’s legal approach


Recent cases in Klang and Segamat see intoxicated drivers charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, signalling a legal shift that treats fatal crashes not as negligence but as murder

Carmen Teh
Updated 31 seconds ago
13 April, 2026
8:00 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian legal system may be shifting how it prosecutes fatal road accidents, following recent decisions to charge intoxicated drivers with murder.

On March 29, Sakthygaanapathy Ravichandran, 28, allegedly drove his car against the flow of traffic while intoxicated on substances at high speed in Klang, causing a collision that killed Amirul Hafiz Omar, 33, as he was driving his motorcycle.

The driver has pleaded guilty to self-administration of drugs under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, as reported by Bernama.

In a subsequent incident in Segamat, Johor on April 2, where Shafiq Salleh, 29, tested positive for methamphetamines after allegedly rear-ending a van that resulted in the deaths of three family members identified as K. Myakrishnan, 72, S. Sevendai, 65, and S. Palamiandy, 75.

While fatal crashes are typically prosecuted under the Road Transport Act, both men were charged with murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or a prison term of 30 to 40 years.

As the murder cases fall under High Court jurisdiction, no pleas have been taken for either driver.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has defended the murder charges regarding the Klang case, with Attorney-General Tan Sri Dusuki Mokhtar stating that the driver’s conduct was “so imminently dangerous” that death was a near certainty.

Although the prosecution has not officially confirmed the specific legal provision for every case, legal experts suggest these charges likely rely on Section 300(d) of the Penal Code.

This provision classifies culpable homicide as murder if the perpetrator knows their action must, in all probability, cause death, even if there was no specific intent to kill a particular individual.

While legal practitioners generally support applying this threshold to severe DUI cases, they offer differing perspectives on the legal mechanics and prosecutorial strategy.

Alif Tarmizi. – Facebook pic, April 13, 2026


Alif Tarmizi, a criminal defence lawyer and founding partner at Messrs Alif & Co, argues that the escalation is a necessary response to the rising number of driving under the influence (DUI) cases.

“Contrary to popular belief, I do think that murder is the right charge for this case under section 300(d),” Tarmizi told Scoop, noting that under this provision it applies when death is almost certain, regardless of intent or whether a specific victim was targeted.

Alif believes the government is using these cases to signal that voluntary intoxication provides no excuse for incurring such extreme risks to public safety.

Farhan Read, a criminal defence lawyer and former Deputy Public Prosecutor, added that while the charge is appropriate, the prosecution faces a high evidentiary threshold.

“Whether it is the ‘right’ charge depends on whether there is evidence to prove the elements of the offence,” Read said regarding the application of the Penal Code in traffic accidents.

He observed that the law typically compares such imminently dangerous acts to firing a cannon into a crowd, and the court must decide if a high-speed DUI meets that benchmark.

Farhan Read. – Bernama pic, April 13, 2026

Read also noted that while the Klang driver pleaded guilty to using benzodiazepines and tetrahydrocannabinol, the prosecution must still prove he possessed the cognitive knowledge of the risk at the time of the crash.

“The defence of intoxication does not include the act of voluntarily taking substances,” Tarmizi said, clarifying that the driver’s guilty plea for drug usage cannot be used as a legal shield to avoid the murder charge.

While the Klang and Segambut cases show a move toward murder charges, other tragedies continue to be handled under the Road Transport Act (RTA).

However, not all fatal DUI cases are being escalated to murder charges. For instance, Shaun Lau Wee Hong, 28, was the drunk driver that caused a fatal double-casualty crash in Pahang on February 14 and was charged under Section 44 of the RTA, a DUI resulting in death or injury.

“Selective prosecution is another word for prosecutorial discretion. No two cases are exactly alike,” Read said regarding the fact that policy considerations often influence which cases are used to make a legal example.

Alif countered that the AGC holds the power to charge based on the specific evidence of each investigation, rather than a lack of uniformity.

“I believe it’s about time that the government should make the law regarding DUIs stricter as the number of cases are going through the roof,” Tarmizi said, adding that this attempt is not merely to appease public pressure but to send a message.

As these cases proceed to their respective mentions in May (Shafiq Salleh) and June (Saktygaanapathy Ravichandran), their outcomes could set a precedent on how far Malaysian law is willing to go in treating fatal DUI incidents not as negligence, but as murder. – April 13, 2026

***

Alif Tarmizi (criminal defence lawyer and founding partner at Messrs Alif & Co) said: “I believe it’s about time that the government should make the law regarding DUIs stricter as the number of cases are going through the roof”

"... as the number of cases are going through the roof”???

Just this morning I read in the Malay Mail (also posted in this blog as Amid strict enforcement, Malaysia detects thousands of drink‑driving offences yearly as fatal cases remain in low double digits), as:

'While the offence remains a serious safety concern, enforcement data shows authorities maintain strong action against it and that fatal drink driving cases make up a small share of Malaysia’s overall road deaths'

'Alcohol-related crashes have accounted for less than 0.5 per cent of total fatalities annually in recent years, with figures consistently remaining low.'

'In absolute terms, fatal drink-driving cases have stayed in the low double digits, with 13 cases recorded in 2023 and 12 in 2024.'

Hmmm, siapa betul? 'Going through the roof' or 'fatal drink driving cases make up a small share of Malaysia’s overall road deaths''???

Iran war live: US military says it will block Iranian traffic in Hormuz

By Stephen Quillen, Heba Habib and Danai Nesta Kupemba

Published On 13 Apr 202613 Apr 2026

• The US military says it will block all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports, starting at 10am ET (14:00 GMT) today.
• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says any military vessel that approaches the Strait of Hormuz will be considered in violation of the ceasefire and “will be dealt with severely”.
• Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says talks with the US in Pakistan failed because of Washington’s “maximalism, shifting goalposts and blockade”.
• Israel’s military bombards south Lebanon, killing at least four people in Maaroub, as Israeli soldiers seize all entrances to the town of Bint Jbeil as clashes with Hezbollah continue.

• 

  Lebanese army mourns soldier killed after Israeli attack

  The Lebanese Army has announced the death of a soldier, who died on Sunday as a result of injuries from a “Israeli hostile attack” that occurred on April 8 in the town of Shamshtar in eastern Baalbek.

  Abbas Hassan Qassem, 41, was a recipient of “several medals and commendations from the Army Commander, who congratulated him on several occasions,” the army said in a statement.

  Qassem was married and had three children, it added.
• 20m ago

   (04:30 GMT)

  

  US ‘grossly overestimating’ its ability to pressure Iran

  We’ve been speaking to Zohreh Kharazmi, an associate professor at the Faculty of World Studies at the University of Tehran.

  She said US threats to control the Strait of Hormuz are unlikely to shift Iran’s negotiating positions.

  “When you’re talking about a blockade of Hormuz, you’re talking maybe a contesting over the concept of resilience. I think Iran has sold 150 million barrels of oil this week and it has extended borders with different countries to actually account for the subsistence needs,” Kharazmi said.

  Therefore, the US is “grossly overestimating” its ability to compel Iran to change its positions, at least in the foreseeable future, she said.

  “Iran is very much ready for the retaliation. The control over Hormuz is the centrepiece of a new security paradigm in the region,” she said, adding that “shrinking petrodollar and changing it to petro Yuan will [also] bring a lot of changes to the current world”.

  The US, she said, “is not really in position to change this firm determination in Tehran”.

32m ago

 (04:20 GMT)

Democratic senator calls Trump’s attack on the Pope ‘abhorrent’ amid Iran war criticism

Democratic Senator Mark Kelly has condemned President Trump for publicly attacking the Pope, calling it “abhorrent” in a post on X.

“As a Catholic, I find it abhorrent that the President of the United States would publicly attack the Successor of St. Peter,” Kelly wrote. “Donald Trump is flailing. His war in Iran has led to the death and injury of American service members and the death of Iranian children.”

Kelly said that Trump “will attack anyone or anything to try to protect himself, even the Church that millions of Americans find faith and comfort in every day”.

Senator Mark Kelly

@SenMarkKelly

As a Catholic, I find it abhorrent that the President of the United States would publicly attack the Successor of St. Peter. Donald Trump is flailing. His war in Iran has led to the death and injury of American servicemembers and the death of Iranian children. He will attack anyone or anything to try to protect himself, even the Church that millions of Americans find faith and comfort in every day. The American people deserve a president who understands the consequences of his words and takes responsibility for his actions.

1:13 pm · 13 Apr 2026

·

166.8K

Views

• 43m ago

   (04:10 GMT)

  Gulf states planning for possible long-term closure of Hormuz Strait

  

  By Hamza Mohamed

  Reporting from Doha, Qatar

  The US says two Navy destroyers went through the Strait of Hormuz, saying those ships were clearing mines from the water. Iran says that did not happen, that they forced those ships to turn back and that they did not cross the strait.

  There is no way for us to independently verify the claims of either side.

  On the civilian side, we have been looking at data from ship-tracking websites. On Sunday, two ships, one sailing under the flag of Malta, the other under the flag of Pakistan, attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz, but turned back. Those oil tankers were empty and were heading to Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. We do not know the reason behind their decision not to proceed.

  What we have been seeing across the region is that GCC countries are not waiting for the US or Iran to come up with an alternative or agree on a way to allow ships to pass.

  We have less than 11 hours until Donald Trump’s blockade kicks in.

  Countries have started making their own plans. Saudi Arabia released a statement on Sunday, saying it has restored the East-West pipeline to full capacity – around 7 million barrels of oil a day. It has also restored the Manifa oil facility on the east coast of the country, which pumps around 300,000 barrels a day.

  Across the region, there is very little traffic in terms of civilian and energy ships going through the Strait of Hormuz. What we are seeing instead are countries making long-term plans for a scenario in which the strait does not reopen, and no ceasefire or agreement is reached between Washington and Tehran.
• 53m ago

   (04:00 GMT)

  WATCH: Family of 4 killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon

  We’ve been reporting on an Israeli raid that killed four members of the Saeed family in Lebanon’s Srifa, including an infant girl.

  The strikes come as doctors in Lebanon warn that medical facilities are overwhelmed, with dozens of communities affected.

 

Oil prices surge past $103 a barrel after US announces blockade of Iran

Asian stocks fall as blockade threat injects fresh turmoil into financial markets.

By John Power

Published On 13 Apr 202613 Apr 2026

Oil prices have risen sharply following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a naval blockade of Iran.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose more than 8 percent on Sunday to top $103 a barrel.

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It was the first time the benchmark rose above the psychologically important threshold of $100 since Tuesday, when prices topped $111 a barrel.

Trump announced on Sunday that the US navy would block all ships from entering or exiting the Strait of Hormuz, following the collapse of ceasefire talks between US and Iranian officials over the weekend.

The US Central Command said in a later statement that it would only block vessels travelling to and from Iran and that other traffic would not be impeded, in an apparent scaling back of Trump’s threat to impose a full blockade.

The command said the blockade would take effect on Monday at 10 am Eastern time.

Oil prices have been a roller-coaster since US-Israeli strikes on Iran prompted Tehran to impose a de facto blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for about one-fifth of global oil and natural gas supplies.

After topping $119 last month, Brent fell below $92 a barrel last week after US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire after more than six weeks of war.

While Iran has allowed a limited number of ships to transit the waterway subject to prior vetting and authorisation, traffic has been reduced to a trickle compared to peacetime levels.

Despite Washington and Tehran’s fragile truce officially remaining in place until April 22, only 17 vessels crossed the strait on Saturday, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward, down from roughly 130 daily transits before the war.

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Major stock markets in Asia opened lower on Monday amid fresh uncertainty raised by Trump’s blockade threat.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 0.9 percent in morning trading, while South Korea’s KOSPI dropped more than 1 percent.

US stock futures, which are traded outside of regular market hours, also fell, with those tied to the benchmark S&P 500 down about 0.8 percent.