AWAS, Kejara demerit system will be enforced starting April 15

SEPANG: The Automated Awareness Safety System (AWAS) including the kejara demerit system will be effective starting April 15 and drivers are given two weeks to adapt to changes.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (pix) said AWAS was supposed to start on April 1 but the government decided to do a "trial run" so drivers are notified of it.
"We would like to notify all road users. Those who are caught on cameras speeding or running red lights will be issued compounds of RM150 but they will not be given demerit points,"  Liow told the media here, today.
The system assigns each driver with 20 points and those caught speeding or running red lights will have points deducted while those who run out of points will have their licenses revoked.
On a related matter, Liow called on those who were summoned under the Automated Enforcement System (AES) to pay them off as soon as possible or they will be blacklisted for road tax renewal.
"They have to pay. We have reduced this from RM300 to RM150. No (there's no deadline), they should pay as soon as possible. (Those who do not pay) They will be blacklisted, they cannot renew their road tax," he said.
Liow was attending the Fifth Global Meeting of NGOs Advocating for Road Safety and Road Victims, where international road safety NGOs from 60 countries met and discussed how to effectively promote road safety.
On that, Liow said the government cannot be tackling road safety issues alone and needs the cooperation of NGOs, the private sector, and members of the public.
Asked about children joyriding on bicycles late at night, he said parents need to be more responsible about their children and prevent them from engaging in such dangerous acts.
Liow said he believes the police are doing all they can to prevent such incidences but parents need to monitor their children better.
"All of us are responsible for road safety, including parents, enforcement authorities, government, and the community. I think the police are trying their level best, but if they do not have other options they have to take action," he said.
Eight teenagers between the age of 13 and 17 were mowed down and killed by a car when they were out joyriding on their bicycles in the morning of Feb 18 while another eight of their friends were injured.
The police on Monday arrested 22 teenagers for joyriding at the site of the accident and threatened to take action against their parents under the Child Act should the incident recur.
Section 33 of the Child Act states that leaving children unsupervised is an offence and those accused are liable to up to RM5,000 in fines or a jail sentence of up to two years, or both, if convicted.