PARENTS and guardians of minors who cause accidents by driving recklessly with modified bicycles, or basikal lajak, will be prosecuted, said Wee Ka Siong.

“We will charge the parents or guardians as the riders are minors. Parents will have to be more vigilant to ensure their children don’t go out till 2am-3am,” said the transport minister in Parliament today.

“And if they are above 21 years old, we will charge them,” said the Ayer Hitam MP after giving a media briefing on the proposed amendments to the Road Transport Act in Dewan Rakyat today.

The amendments, aimed at tackling driving under influence of alcohol and drugs, and reckless driving, include an amendment to increase the penalties for those who cause accidents using pedal or electric bicycles.

The proposed amendment seeks to increase the fine for those caught driving under influence to RM1,000-RM5,000 and mandatory jail sentence not exceeding 12 months.

For those caught riding bicycles recklessly, they face a fine of RM1,000.

Under the current law, those convicted of causing an accident under the influence face a fine of just RM300 with no mandatory jail sentence, while subsequent convictions will face a fine of RM1,000 or jail term not exceeding 3 months.

In 2018, two teenage cyclists were killed while another two were injured after they were hit by a car in Johor.

Eight other teenage cyclists were also killed in another accident at 3am in Johor Baru on February 18, 2017.

The driver, Sam Ke Ting, was acquitted last year without her defence being called.

Magistrate Siti Hajar Ali said she took into account the hilly terrain and the dark stretch of roads and how the driver could not have anticipated a group of cyclists gathering there at 3am. – July 27, 2020.