The Malaysian parliament has passed several amendments to the Police Act 1967 (Act 344), which includes a revision to Section 21 that covers the duty of police officers on public roads. An amendment to Clause 4 now provides for the police to carry out escort duties.
The matter of whether a motorist should give way to a VIP’s convoy that is being escort by the police has been intensely debated in the past. A legal expert said in a prior report that there was no such law that required motorists to give way to a VIP convoy on the road.
However, former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said at the time that road users who defy police instructions – particularly in refusing to give way to VIP convoys when asked – can be penalised under the Police Act, Road Traffic Act and the Penal Code.
With the latest amendment (D.R. 6/2024), it is now written in law that it shall be the duty of police offers to conduct any escort duty. The Act also states in Subsection (2) that “any person who obstructs, opposes or disobeys any reasonable direction given by any police officer in the performance of his duties under this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction.”
This subsection has also been amended to increase the severity of punishment, so those caught opposing the police carrying out any escort duty may be may be fined up to RM10,000 and jailed for up to two years. This was previously RM200 and two months’ jail.
Another notable amendment to the Act involves Section 26, which sees an increase in the maximum fine from RM1,000 to RM2,000 for anyone who fails to comply with a police order to stop before reaching any barrier erected or placed by any police officer. Meanwhile, a new Section 6A indicates the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will be the Honorary Commissioner-in-Chief of the police force.
The post You can be fined up to RM10,000 and be jailed up to 2 years if you obstruct a convoy escorted by the police appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.
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