KL eyeing system to notify S’poreans of summonses for traffic offences
Statistics compiled by the Malaysian traffic police showed that between 2000 and 2013, Singaporeans accounted for more than 313,661 of unsettled traffic summonses for various traffic offences. TODAY FILE PHOTO
SINGAPORE — The Malaysian police are working on ways to notify Singaporean motorists of summonses they receive for traffic offences committed in Malaysia. This will prevent them from being caught off guard when they are eventually tracked down and asked to pay for multiple fines.
Johor traffic police chief Baharudin Mat Taib said this in response to the frustrations expressed by several Singaporean motorists about having to settle fines on the spot for numerous traffic offences during an operation mounted by his officers from Dec 27 to Jan 1.
He also rejected claims that some of the summonses issued were fake, pointing out that among foreigners, Singaporeans held the highest number of unsettled fines in Malaysia.
However, Mr Baharudin acknowledged that a better system should be put in place to keep foreign motorists promptly updated on the summonses issued against them.
“We understand the frustrations faced by Singaporeans who suddenly find themselves with multiple summonses upon entering the country. We have been quite lenient in giving discounts to those who appeal,” he said in a telephone interview with TODAY.
“We don’t have their addresses or any way to inform them. The only way is when they come back to Malaysia and suddenly find out that they have accumulated summonses.”
Although information regarding summonses issued to vehicles should be available on the government’s Internet portal MyEG, Mr Baharudin admitted that the portal is not regularly updated. “The Malaysian traffic police are working on a more effective system,” he said, without elaborating further.
Over the years, there have been several instances when Singaporean motorists complained of being presented with a list of outstanding summonses issued against them that they were unaware of.
The police officers would warn drivers to pay up there and then or face being arrested and charged in court. Contentions that some of these were bogus have also surfaced in the past.
In response to the latest furore, Mr Baharudin said it was only another routine operation.
He pointed to statistics compiled by the Malaysian traffic police, which showed that between 2000 and 2013, Singaporeans accounted for more than 313,661, or 37.4 per cent, of unsettled traffic summonses issued to non-Malaysians.
A total of 4,621 arrest warrants have also been issued against repeat offenders from Singapore, but these have not been acted on, he added.
Noting that his officers will continue to conduct such operations from time to time to reduce the number of outstanding fines, Mr Baharudin urged Singaporean drivers to settle their summonses at the Johor traffic police headquarters.
“If (the drivers) have many summonses, they can pay for a few at a time — they don’t have to pay for all of them at one go,” he said.
In November last year, Malaysia’s Road Safety Department chief Tam Weng Wah reportedly said the authorities were working on a new electronic system to blacklist repeat traffic offenders from Singapore and even block errant offenders from driving into Malaysia.
However, Mr Baharudin told TODAY that the Johor traffic police have not received any orders to blacklist any drivers. “We have not blacklisted anyone, despite the large amount of outstanding summonses.”
Singaporean businessman Justin Lee, 30, who drives to Johor at least three times a week, said it would be fair if drivers were promptly notified of summonses issued against them.
“We wouldn’t have to worry that we are flouting the law in Malaysia without knowing it. I would feel safer because if I know that a proper system is in place, I wouldn’t have to worry about police officers flagging down motorists just to make a quick buck,” he told TODAY.
