GEORGE TOWN, Jan 7 — Motorists who succumb to road rage should have their licences revoked for life, criminologist Dr P. Sundramoorthy said.
Expressing sadness over the fatal brawl on Sunday over a parking space in SS2, Petaling Jaya, he said the authorities should not allow motorists who pose a danger to others on the road.
“The authorities should revoke the driving licence of such motorists and they should never be allowed to drive,” the associate professor of Universiti Sains Malaysia’s School of Sciences said.
“A driving licence is not a right for everyone. It is a privilege and motorists should not treat it as a permit to do whatever they want on the road.”
On the death of Stephen Joseph, he said the assailant should be charged with murder but at the same time, the authorities should be careful not to send the message that it was acceptable to obstruct others in a public place.
“Our norms and moral values have changed over the years and our level of tolerance is minimal because of several factors including stress and our way of life, but it is not an excuse,” he said.
Sundramoorthy said about 20 to 30 years ago this was not the situation as people used to be more tolerant and understanding, but the economic development and the stressful life style had changed the mindset of the people.
“The solution is an efficient public transport system and town planners should plan for sufficient parking lots in development projects to overcome similar problems,” he said.
