KUALA LUMPUR – The Road Transport Department (JPJ) must be firm in enforcing the Demerit Points System For Traffic Offences or Kejara and conduct surprise checks more regularly to curb the issue of lorry drivers driving under the influence of drugs, according to crime analyst, Datuk Seri Akhbar Satar.
He said the country had adequate and complete legal provisions to eradicate the issue of private and commercial drivers driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol but enforcement was seen as rather weak.
He said the Kejara system which allowed a person’s driving licence to be suspended or revoked after collecting a certain number of demerit points for breaking traffic laws is seen as able to prevent this especially for individuals working as drivers.
“In addition, the authorities must also often conduct patrols and inspections on drivers and commercial vehicles such as lorries and buses to ensure they comply with the law.
“They could also study the use of fast test kits for drugs and alcohol as done abroad,” he told Bernama today.
He was commenting on the incident whereby a lorry driver was found positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine after the truck he was driving rammed five cars in Jalan Ipoh, here, on Monday.
Akhbar said the employers of drivers must also be firm and should not avoid being involved in tackling the issue.
He said employers must ensure that their drivers were free from drugs or alcohol before being allowed to work or to drive lorries and heavy machinery because this not only endangered the workers but also others.
“Periodical monitoring and inspection by the employers could raise the red flag if their workers are involved in drug abuse,” he said.
Meanwhile, Alliance for Safe Community chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said it was the duty of employers to ensure their drivers were free from the influence of drugs before being allowed to drive.
He said employers must be firm against their workers who were found to have abused drugs as otherwise it would endanger others.
He said lorry or commercial vehicle drivers who misused drugs often gave the excuse that they were tired as they had to make many trips to get a lucrative payment.
As such, Lee hoped employers could review the salaries given to the group so that they receive commensurate payment and did not depend on many trips to get a high salary.
“The workers also must be brave to express and to reject performing excess trips if they are tired so that they don’t endanger other road users,” he said.
In the incident at 2.40 pm, a lorry heading to Sentul from Jalan Duta driven by a 25-year-old man bulldozed into two Perodua Myvi cars, a Proton X70, a Honda HRV and a Peugeot 208 FL.
