No discounts for traffic offenders under Awas (Updated)

PETALING JAYA: Reckless drivers have been warned that that there will be no exemptions or discounts given to those caught committing offences under the Awas or Automated Awareness Safety System.
Additionally, they will also be imposed demerit points, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke. Awas is an integration of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras and Demerit Points System (Kejara).
Loke said that from Sept 1, offenders who receive summonses from the system will have to part with RM300 within a period of 60 days and they will also be slapped with demerit points upon paying the summons.
Failure to comply will see the offender blacklisted and incur further Kejara demerit points.
"The government is taking a zero tolerance policy against reckless drivers. The point here for the government is to have tighter enforcement in order to stop reckless driving and educate drivers. It's not to punish them but to educate them," he said.
He said the government took this zero tolerance policy following statistics the Road Transport Department (JPJ) tabulated during the period of Aug 17 to 31 when the system was waived throughout the whole country.
Loke said he was shocked and disappointed that during the exemption period, the number of offending drivers increased threefold from 5,000 to 15,000 offences a day.
"We will strictly enforce the law with hopes of lowering the number of errant drivers," he told reporters after visiting the system's control centre here today.
The automated enforcement system will be policing two offences – failure to observe traffic signals (running the red light) and exceeding the posted speed limit.
A traffic light offence carries a penalty of four demerit points for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles, and six for buses and goods delivery vehicles.
Penalties for speeding will be judged on the severity of the offence and also on different scales for private passenger vehicles and motorcycles, and for buses and goods delivery vehicles, the latter getting more demerit points per offence.
A warning will be issued once a driver reaches the first 20 demerit points.
If they get an additional 20 points, their licence will be revoked.
Loke said demerit points can be reduced by 50% if drivers attend JPJ courses and don't incur anymore summonses within a period of one year.
On the other hand, Loke said the ministry is mulling rewarding good drivers with discounts on their vehicle insurance next year.
He said the ministry will discuss the plan with the General Insurance Association of Malaysia soon.
"This is a way we can start a new phase in Malaysia where our drivers abide by the law," he said.
He added that they may also give road tax discounts to disciplined drivers.