KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — Traffic offenders only settle less than 30 per cent of the approximately five million summonses issues each year, Bukit Aman’s Traffic Investigations and Enforcement Department (JSPT) revealed today.
In a response to Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s suggestion to end discounts for traffic fines, JSPT director Deputy Commissioner Datuk Azisman Alias welcomed the proposal but said his department’s objectives must also be considered.
“I understand [the minister’s] intention in educating road users to comply with the law. However if only around 30 per cent is paid for the current year, imagine the accumulated number of unpaid summonses.
“I would like to explain that these discounts only apply to past and minor offences committed in previous years,” he said when adding that these were not available to the six major categories of traffic offences.
The six major offences include speeding, driving in the emergency lane, using your mobile phone while driving, cutting queue, overtaking on double lines and running a red light.
Yesterday, Loke suggested that the police match the Road Transport Department’s (RTD) move to do away with such discounts in order to avoid sending mixed messages to the motorists.
Azisman said JSPT issued around 5.7 million traffic summonses in 2018 and only 25 per cent have been paid to date.
“The number of unpaid summonses in our record is simply too much and if we do not promote discounts, then we will never be able to collect revenue for the government.
“That is why JSPT is taking on this approach as a form of service to the community because we do not want to harass offenders who have outstanding arrest warrants like in Ops Warta previously and we do not want to burden road users when they renew their road tax,” he said.
Ops Warta gained notoriety in the past when police officers enforced warrants for outstanding summonses strictly by locating and arresting offenders, including handcuffing them.
Despite his remarks, Azisman maintained that the police will be stern and uncompromising on traffic offences such as speeding that may cause accidents.
“Those type of summonses for the six offences must be paid in full and is not qualified for any discounts.
“I will meet with the ministry and RTD’s director-general soon to further discuss a more suitable method that we can implement,” he said.
