Demerit points under AWAS to begin Apr 15 - Transport Minister

Road offenders will be penalised by using demerit points under the Automated Awareness Safety System (Awas) effective April 15, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai today.

He said the Awas and demerit points for Traffic Offences System (Kejara) had been implemented on April 1 in a bid to reduce the number of road accidents in the country.

"Road users will be given a two-week trial run from April 1 to 15. By April 15, we will gazette and start the demerit system.

"We are notifying road users who are caught on our automated cameras during the trial period for speeding or beating traffic lights. However, no points will be deducted yet since it is the grace period," he said.

Liow was speaking to reporters after launching the Fifth Global Meeting of Non-governmental Organisations Advocating for Road Safety and Road Victims here.

At present, he said, there were 14 automated enforcement system (AES) cameras installed nationwide and the number would be increased from time to time.

"This is an effective system because all the road offences are caught in camera, so that we can take you to court and at the same time, the Road and Transport Department (RTD) will be able to deduct points from your license," he said.

On the demerit points system, Liow said a road user who obtained a maximum points of 20 would face penalties in stages of either warning, suspension or revocation of driving licenses.

He said all these offences and points to be deducted are displayed on the RTD website.

On the driving school curriculum, Liow said the specifically-tailored curiculum, Kurikulum Pendidikan Pemandu, would be extended to kindergarten and primary schools. It will undergo a trial run next year.

Earlier he said 19 persons are killed in road accidents daily in Malaysia, with around 6,500 to 7,000 fatalities per year and incurring an estimated loss of RM9 billion to the national economy.

-- BERNAMA