He suggested amending Section 44 of the Road Transport Act 1987 to include a subsection allowing mandatory vehicle forfeiture, modelled on powers under the Land Public Transport Act which already allows authorities to seize commercial vehicles for breaches such as overloading.
“If Malaysia can permanently forfeit commercial lorries for carrying excess loads, it is logical and fair to impose the same ‘nuclear option’ on vehicles used as dangerous weapons by intoxicated or impaired drivers,” he said in a statement.
Under the proposed law, seized vehicles would be forfeited to the government and auctioned, with proceeds split equally between a victim compensation fund and road safety initiatives.
Innocent third-party owners, such as parents, employers, or financial institutions, could be protected, and courts could grant leniency for first-time, low-income offenders.
Shahrim cited international examples to show the policy’s effectiveness, saying Latvia saw a drop in repeated offences after confiscating more than 2,000 vehicles in DUI cases over three years.
“Fines of RM1,000 or RM2,000 are simply not enough to stop repeat offenders in Malaysia,” he said.
“Many offenders treat it as the ‘cost’ of a night out. But when the vehicle they rely on for daily life or their livelihood is taken away and auctioned off, the message becomes crystal clear: the vehicle you use as a weapon will be taken from you.”
Shahrim said the suggestion was part of his proposed DUI Road Safety Plan 2026–2035, which includes lowering legal blood alcohol content limits, mandating alcohol interlocks, and enhanced enforcement.
“Every preventable DUI death is a policy failure. By forfeiting vehicles and channelling proceeds to victims, Malaysia can send the strongest possible signal to defiant drivers,” he said.
Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said his ministry was proposing amendments to the Road Transport Act 1987 to compel offenders to pay compensation to victims’ families, following a fatal crash in Klang.
In the incident which occurred on Sunday, a motorcyclist was killed after being rammed by a car driven by a man in his 20s who was allegedly under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The suspect has been remanded until Thursday.