KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — Malaysia’s police have not acted maliciously to entrap drivers from Brunei and instead enforces the law against all traffic offenders, the police force’s traffic chief said today.

According to SAC Mahamad Akhir Darus, police officers are empowered under the Road Transport Act 1987 to restrain any vehicle, including foreign-registered ones, that have unresolved matters under the law. — Bernama pic

SAC Mahamad Akhir Darus was responding to circulated claims that local traffic police had hidden cameras to entrap vehicles from Brunei to boost the police force’s coffers, along with accusations that the photos of such foreign-registered vehicles were edited as a ploy to allow for the detention of drivers when they exit the country’s borders.

“PDRM views the spread of this message as a malicious act that is capable of affecting the bilateral ties between Malaysia and Brunei, as well as tarnishing the image and credibility of PDRM,” the Bukit Aman traffic chief said in a statement today, referring to the Royal Malaysian Police by its Malay initials.

Mahamad explained that the police operation to compel foreign traffic offenders to pay up their fines from the period of 2010 to September this year was only aimed at those who breached traffic laws when passing through Malaysia.

He said the operation known as “Operasi Saman Tertunggak Warga Asing” was not only carried out last month in Sarawak’s Limbang and Miri — two towns near Brunei, but had also been carried out previously in Johor Bahru and Bukit Kayu Hitam on drivers from Singapore and Thailand respectively.

“The PDRM traffic division takes action each day on local drivers and only occasionally carries out operations on foreigners that breach this country’s laws.

“In relation to that, there is no issue of allegations that it is purportedly focused on Brunei citizens alone,” he said.

According to Mahamad, police officers are empowered under the Road Transport Act 1987 to restrain any vehicle, including foreign-registered ones, that have unresolved matters under the law, and to detain and haul traffic offenders who fail to pay their fines to court for trial.

“However, PDRM still uses its discretion by only detaining traffic offenders, providing explanation on the provisions of traffic laws in this country and asking them to pay the fine arrears,” he said.