Kejara enforcement only from April 15, says minister

SEPANG: Road users have been given a grace period until April 15 before the Demerit Points System (Kejara) comes into full force.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said while the Automated Awareness Safety System (Awas) kicked off on April 1, traffic offenders will only begin accumulating demerit points from April 15.

Awas is an integration of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras and the Kejara system meant to catch traffic offen­ders.

“We are giving road users a grace period of two weeks. By April 15, we will gazette the demerit system.

“For now, this is a trial run. Road users who are caught on our automated cameras within this trial period for speeding or beating traffic lights will be sent notifications,” Liow told a press conference after launching the Fifth Global Meeting of Non-Governmental Organisa-tions Advocating for Road Safety and Road Victims here.

At present, there are 14 AES ca­meras installed nationwide, and Liow said this would be increased “from time to time”.

“Awas is an effective system because all the road offences are caught on camera.

“You will be taken to court and at the same time, your licence will incur demerit points,” he said.

Currently, the Kejara system focuses on two offences – speeding and running the red light – and more are expected to be included in the future.

According to the Road Transport Department (JPJ) website, traffic offenders who rack up their first 20 demerit points will be given a warning.

Should they amass another 20 demerit points, their driving licence will be suspended for between six and 12 months.

Road users will be able to check their Kejara points on the JPJ website.

On existing AES summonses, Liow said they must be paid off or traffic offenders risked being blacklisted, and thus would not be able to renew their road tax.

Road safety NGOs from over 60 countries attended the meeting which ends today.

Among those present were the United Nations secretary-general’s Special Envoy for Road Safety Jean Todt, World Health Organisation director of Non-Communicable Disease Etienne Krug and Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety’s Jeffrey Witte.

In his speech earlier, Liow said an average of 19 people were killed in road accidents every day in Malaysia.

“Generally, road crashes in Malaysia claim around 6,500 to 7,000 fatalities per year with an estimated loss of RM9bil to the national economy.

“Road accidents constitute a se­­rious public health challenge to the nation,” he said.

The Government, said Liow, puts emphasis on road safety education in schools, and is looking to extend it to nurseries and pre-schools.