KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — Existing road transport law will be amended to make it mandatory for motorists driving under the influence to pay compensation to victims.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the amendments would cover driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs under the Road Transport Act.

Four people, including three family members, were killed and three others injured in a collision involving 11 vehicles at KM110.4 of the LPT1, near the Temerloh Toll Plaza exit in Lanchang, Temerloh, at about 10 pm on August 31.

Citing the crash, Anwar said such tragedies were deeply distressing and showed that road safety violations remained a concern despite tighter enforcement.

“As of August, 28 fatal cases involving drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs had been recorded.

“Therefore, as a sterner measure, the government will amend the Road Transport Act,” he said while tabling Budget 2027 at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Anwar also said a telematics system will be made compulsory for installation on commercial vehicles to monitor speed, location and risky driving patterns, including links to alcohol detection devices to check drivers before they begin their journeys.

“Voluntary implementation will continue until 2027 while the government develops a database of drivers for enforcement purposes,” he said.

He also said the Social Security Organisation (Socso) will provide health screening vouchers for commercial vehicle drivers to detect medical risks that could affect their ability to drive safely.