AFTER 24 years, the police are adamant that it is time for the compound of RM300 for traffic offences to be increased. It will not be immediate though. The process needs reviewing and the relevant law amended. The increased fines will, therefore, not happen until at least the end of the year. It was the Chinese New Year road accident statistics that brought on this recommendation. Despite Op Selamat 8, intended to drive some discipline into drivers, the final figures were more dismal than that of last year. Obviously, Malaysian drivers had no intention of making the roads safer for the average user. Something was needed to put the fear of God in them, hence, the proposed meaningful increase meant to hit the pockets of errant drivers.
But, a certain sum impacts on the pocket differently depending on income. For instance, the current RM300 is a large slice of a clerk’s monthly salary, but nothing to a top executive earning well over RM10,000 a month. If justice is to be served, every fine imposed on traffic offenders must be proportionate to the monthly income of the individual. In Germany, for instance, penalties are measured out according to the percentage of income. Therefore, those caught breaking a law must part with, say, 10 per cent of their monthly income. This is fair, because 10 per cent is 10 per cent, whether one is rich or poor (although, below a certain income threshold, it will still impact the poorer person).
Other measures have been implemented, but were withdrawn for one reason or another. The Road Transport Department’s (RTD) demerit points system, Kejara, was introduced in 1984 but suspended soon after for a comprehensive review because of teething problems. The system worked by suspending the driver’s licence of the persistent offender. But, the complexity of the initial exercise had the drawback of encouraging the payment of fines, but not a change in attitude. The reason: once the offender pays the fine, the demerit point is reduced. However, the transport minister has recently announced that the system will be reintroduced soon, because the review done by the RTD has smoothed the creases in the system.
Another mechanism introduced for a short time before being withdrawn under pressure of public protest was the Automated Enforcement System (AES), consisting of high-resolution digital cameras that capture the image of the offence committed then transmitting it to a control centre that issues the traffic summons. But, the public has never found any system that straitjacketed them to be amenable. To them, the law itself is an inconvenience. That the ministry is in the midst of gathering feedback on the Kejara and AES, to be completed by the month’s end, suggests a flawed approach. After all, the transport minister, when commenting on the police’s proposal for increased fines, recognises the fact that it can only work with the Kejara and AES systems in place. So, why then dilly-dally? Is there any real need for public feedback? But, at the end of the day, even when all systems are in place, what will ensure that any law is observed is its enforcement. If people don’t think they are going to get caught, why would laws even matter?