Malaysia imposes tougher penalty for drink-driving
The Malaysian Parliament recently passed the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2020, which provides a heftier penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Drivers are tested for blood alcohol levels at a checkpoint in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: Bernama)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – The Malaysian Parliament recently passed the Road Transport(Amendment) Bill 2020, which provides a heftier penalty for driving under theinfluence of alcohol.
For those causingdeath while driving under the influence, the punishment will be imprisonment ofbetween five and 10 years, and a fine of between 20,000 - 50,000 ringgit (4,800- 12,000 USD).
Offenders will also havetheir driving licences revoked for five years.
Those driving underthe influence of alcohol and drugs to the point they are unable to control thevehicles that may pose risks to others, or with alcohol levels higher than theprescribed ones will also face a prison term up to 10 years and a fine of30,000 – 50,000 ringgit.
Malaysian TransportMinister Wee Ka Siong said the amendments to the bill were done in acomprehensive manner to tackle the problem.
He said the governmentis not only using legislation to address the issue but also three elements ofeducation, engineering of road conditions and enforcement.
Data of the Departmentof Statistics Malaysia show t♒hat traffic accidents claim abou💃t 6,200 lives eachyear while injuring hundreds of others./.
A total of 373 people died in 3,421 traffic accidents on roads in Thailand during the New Year holiday from December 22, 2019 to January 2, 2020, down 19.4 percent the same period last year.
The National Committee on Traffic Safety has announced that Vietnam saw a 19 percent year-on-year decline in the number of traffic accidents in the first half of this year - the biggest fall in many years.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Drivers are tested for blood alcohol levels at a checkpoint in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: Bernama) 
