Loke to tap Muhyiddin about creating ‘climate of fear’ for traffic offenders

SEPANG, Jan 29 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he will speak to Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin about enforcing traffic summonses fully similarly to fines issued under the Automated Awareness Safety System (AwAS).

Loke said this was because he has no authority over traffic summonses that were issued by the police, an agency under the Home Ministry.

The minister said the move would standardise the enforcement of road regulations with an eye on deterrence.

“So we can cancel their discounts, but it does not apply to summonses issued by the police, who are under the Home Ministry.

“I will also speak to local authorities to see if it can be extended to them as well,” Loke said during the launch of the Chinese New Year Road Safety Campaign 2019 at the Dengkil Southbound R&R.

He explained that the main reason for cancelling such discounts for summonses issued since last September was to avoid sending mixed messages to the public.

Providing such discounts could make road users indifferent about receiving summonses or paying them, Loke added.

“Instead, the policy now should be that once you commit an offence, you have to pay for it.

“Only then will you feel it, otherwise it will be meaningless. We want to create a climate of fear for them so as not to do such things on the road.”

The minister stressed that such policies were not intended to inconvenience road users, but simply to ensure that they make road safety a priority.

Loke added that the RTD has issued over 90,000 summonses since taking over what was previously named the Automated Enforcement System (AES), but only 11 per cent of these have been paid despite a 60-day deadline on each.

“Failure to do so will result in the issuance of an arrest warrant for the offender. Once the case reaches court they can be blacklisted by the system, thereby preventing them from renewing their road tax and driving as well,” Loke said.