KOTA BARU, June 21 — The Bachok district will have a new court building to replace the old one which is over 40 years old.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said in Bachok there was increased backlog of court cases as the existing building was unable to accommodate the trials.
He said the Bachok Court building was also located in a small area and not many vehicles could be parked there. Even for police use there was not enough place.
“From our visit there we could see the building needs to be refurbished as it is over 40 years old.
“In this regard, we have also identified three acres of land in Bachok for the construction of a new building,” he told reporters after a formal working visit to the Kota Baru Court Complex here, today.
Elaborating, Takiyuddin said that the Bachok court construction project was already stated in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) and, if approved, it would be completed within two years from now at a cost of about RM40 million.
Commenting further, Takiyuddin said his visit to the Kota Baru Court Complex found that some improvements needed to be made and these were in the final stages and that there should be no problem in opening the building complex as planned soon.
Meanwhile, Takiyuddin said the amendment to the Road Transport Act 1987 to provide for heavier punishment against reckless drivers and those driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs was now at the final stage and would be finalised before being brought to the Cabinet in two weeks’ time.
Even though the act was under the Ministry of Transport, he said the department was also involved in making recommendations.
“This is a safety or protection measure as well as a precautionary measure,” he said.
Under Section 45A (1) of the Road Transport Act, anyone caught drink-driving can be fined between RM1,000 and RM6,000 or jailed up to 12 months.
For fatal accidents caused by drink-driving, offenders can be charged under Section 44 of the Act, which provides for a maximum fine of RM10,000 and jail term of up to 12 months. — Bernama
