AS THE new year began, a post circulating on social media claimed that the police and the Road Transport Department (JPJ) have stopped offering discounts on traffic summons starting Jan 1.
The post suggested that motorists who fail to pay their fines will be blacklisted and unable to renew their driving licences or road tax, with no discount options available.
The claim has worried many Malaysians who are accustomed to waiting for discount campaigns before settling their summons.
But have authorities really stopped giving discounts on traffic fines?
Verdict:
FALSE
Summons payment discounts still exist, but through a new payment method called "The Less You Delay, The Less You Pay", which took effect on Jan 1, according to fact-checking website MyCheck.my.
According to Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, the new method offers lower compound rates for those who settle their summons quickly, replacing the previous practice of offering summons discounts through special campaigns.
Bernama reported on Oct 22, 2025, that Loke said the new principle was implemented because there were differences in the rates and methods of compound implementation between JPJ and the police, which created confusion and the perception that law enforcement was not uniform.
The change was also made because discount programmes based on special campaigns were unfair to responsible road users who paid their summons early.
Under the new method, those who settle their compounds in less than 15 days will receive a 50% reduction, those who pay within 16 to 30 days will get a 33% reduction, whilst the maximum rate will be charged for those who settle within 31 to 60 days.
"For 61 days onwards, court action and blacklisting will be implemented against the vehicle owner," Loke said.
However, Loke said the incentive rates do not apply to categories of offences that cannot be compounded, such as having no insurance, no Motor Vehicle Licence and displaying a fake Motor Vehicle Licence.
Before the new method began, road users were given reductions of between 50% to 70% to settle existing JPJ and police summons from Nov 1 to Dec 30, 2025.
After that period, no more discounts were given for outstanding summons from the old system.
Also, MyCheck.my found posts uploaded on JPJ and police Facebook accounts regarding those summons discounts.
JPJ offered a 50% summons discount whilst the police offered a 70% reduction during that campaign period.
The key difference with the new system is that discounts are now automatic and permanent based on how quickly you pay, rather than being dependent on waiting for occasional discount campaigns announced by the authorities.
This means motorists no longer need to wait months or years for the government to announce a special discount period. Instead, every summons comes with a built-in discount structure that rewards prompt payment.
For example, if you receive a summons with a maximum compound of RM300, paying within 15 days means you only pay RM150 (50% discount).
Wait until day 20, and you'll pay RM201 (33% discount). Leave it until day 40, and you pay the full RM300. Cross the 60-day mark, and you're looking at court action and potential blacklisting.
The new system is designed to encourage responsible behaviour and prompt payment rather than the previous culture of waiting for discount campaigns, which often saw people accumulating multiple summons over years before settling them during special discount periods.
So the answer is no, discounts haven't been abolished. They've actually become more accessible and predictable. The less you delay, the less you pay, just as the new policy name suggests.
Sources:
1. https://mycheck.my/more.php?id=2530149
2. https://www.bernama.com/bm/news.php?id=2481543
3. https://www.facebook.com/reel/755468780863287
