00:00Social activist Lee Lam Thai wants fines for serious traffic offences to be pegged to the
00:05offenders' income levels so that they serve as an equal deterrent across all income groups.
00:10Lee, who chairs the Alliance for a Safe Community, argues that the current flat rate fine system
00:16fails to deter offenders equally. He said a fine of up to RM1,000 may mean little to someone with
00:23substantial financial means but could impose a heavy burden on a low-income individual.
00:29Lee said that where practicable, fines for certain serious traffic offences should be linked to an
00:35offender's financial capacity or income level. He said several countries have successfully
00:41implemented income-based or graduated penalty systems in a bid to apply legal sanctions more
00:48equitably across society. Lee welcomed the government's proposal to strengthen the Road Transport Act
00:54through heavier penalties but stressed that any increase must be guided by fairness, proportionality
01:01and effectiveness. He said the purpose of a traffic fine is to deter, not merely punish, and a penalty
01:08that feels insignificant to a wealthy offender may fail to achieve that goal. He cautioned that any
01:15shift to an income-based framework must be transparent, administratively practical,
01:20and safeguarded against abuse. I'm Radeep Gill, FMT.
01:25I'm Radeep Gill.
01:26I'm Radeep Gill.
01:26I'm Radeep Gill.
01:26I'm Radeep Gill.
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