AES traffic fine discounts are a slap in the face to law-abiding motorists

It was reported in a daily today that the Transport Ministry is proposing to offer a 50 per cent discount to motorists who have been issued summons under the Automated Enforcement System (AES).

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Aziz Kaprawi told the daily that the discount offer of RM150 settlement per summons may be offered over the next six months, if the Cabinet approves the proposal.

Aziz was reported to have said that the government is willing to cut its losses of unpaid traffic fines which now stands to more than half a billion ringgit.

Now, doesn’t this sound familiar?

Our authorities have always been ‘lenient’ by offering discounts to errant motorists over the years to get them to pay their summons.

Aziz also told the daily that motorists who do not settle their summons within the discounted period will be taken to court.

What kind of message does it send?

I wonder if such a situation would arise in other countries, say like Singapore where authorities instead of enforcing a rule, entices the errant ones with discounts and then when they still do not comply, would be brought up to courts.

Why not bring them to court in the first place? Why the discounts and then only action? So what kind of enforcement and officials we have then?

According to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai 1.91 million summonses were issued from September 2012 to April 30 last year. But up to April last year, Liow said 264,750 AES summonses were paid, amounting to RM76,647,750,00.

So, if the government accepts the ministry’s proposal, what would happen to those who have paid their summons? Would they be refunded? Is it even fair to those who paid their summons out of fear and respect for the law?

The leniency and discount mentality has to stop if the government is serious is getting the people to abide by the rules. There should not be any discount for errant motorists if we are serious about this AES. Motorists should know that there is no more leniency and they have to pay the fines or face the courts.