Offenders who chalk up 100 Kejara demerit points will have driving licence revoked

PUTRAJAYA: Habitual road traffic offenders who chalk up 100 Kejara demerit points under the Automated Awareness Safety System (Awas) will lose their driving licences.
Their licences will also be revoked if they are issued with 80 points and have had their licences suspended thrice in five years.
The Kejara system will initially enforce demerit points for only two of 23 scheduled traffic offences – speeding and beating the red lights – when it is implemented on April 15.
Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Seri Nadzri Siron (pix) said today the remaining offences will be added to the Kejara system in phases before the end of the year.
He said motorists will be issued a warning on attaining their first round of 20 demerit points.
Subsequently, he said, if they continue committing traffic offences and earn up to three rounds or 60 demerit points, they face between six and 12 months suspension of their driving licence.
He said if a motorist receives a total of 80 or four rounds of points within five years JPJ will revoke their driving licence.
Nadzri said those who run up 100 points at any time will also face revocation of their driving licence.
He said those who lose their driving licence are banned from driving upon handing over their licence to JPJ or 21 days after the department issues a notice of the revocation.
Nadzri said those caught driving without a valid licence face imprisonment up to three years and can be fined between RM3,000 and RM10,000.
To resume driving, they will be required re-apply for a fresh licence, undergoing both written and driving tests but only a year after the revocation.
As for probationary drivers, Nadzri said their licence will be revoked upon one round or 20 demerit points issued to them.
Nadzri said private vehicle drivers will receive four demerit points and commercial vehicle drivers six for beating a red light.
As for speeding, he said, private vehicle drivers who exceed speed limits between one kilometre per hour and 40 kilometres per hour will be issued between two and four demerit points while commercial vehicle drivers will receive between four and six points.
The system is not all that harsh and allows offenders an "incentive or a chance to "repent" with a special feature.
Nadzri said those who hold under 20 points will be freed of 50% of any number of points they may have been issued if they attend a rehabilitation course by JPJ on road traffic safety or remain "clean" of traffic summonses for over a year.
He said Awas is being introduced to instill awareness and adherance to road traffic safety. Nadzri said the system which had been implemented in Britain, Australia, Germany, Canada, Singapore and other nations had shown a positive outcome in the reduction of road accidents and fatalities.
Road accident fatalities in Malaysia are among the highest in the world with about 7,000 people – about 60% being motorcyclists and their pillion riders dying in traffic mishaps each year.