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KUALA LUMPUR: The maximum fine for traffic offences will be raised from RM300 to RM1,000 upon the enforcement of the amended Road Transport Act 1987.

The higher fine is among 51 amendments proposed under the Road Transport Act 1987 (Amendment) Bill 2010 tabled for first reading by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri in the Dewan Rakyat Monday.

The amendment was in line with the tabling of the Land Public Transport Bill 2010 and the Land Public Transport Commission Bill 2010.

Other amendments proposed are the raise in the legal driving age from 16 to 17 and an increase in the penalty for offences under Section 39, from a maximum of RM2,000 to a minimum of RM1,000 and not more than RM5,000.

The amendment also sees the incorporation of a new provision, Section 13A, to clarify that only the JPJ Director-General has the power to allocate the registration plate for a vehicle registered under the Act.

Anyone found guilty of making, producing, distributing, selling or installing fake registration plates can be fined a minimum of RM20,000 and not more than RM50,000 or jailed between one and three years, or both, upon conviction.

The amendment also proposed a raise in the fine for displaying plate numbers which are not in accordance to specification, from RM200 to RM3,000.

It also proposed a fine of between RM1,000 and RM5,000 or a minimum of one year's jail, or both, for those found to be endangering other road users or causing traffic obstruction.

A new subsection is also proposed which allows images of traffic offences captured on camera to be accepted as evidence in court.

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PUTRAJAYA: Commercial vehicle operators object to the proposed increase in fine for traffic offences to a steep RM1,000, saying this will lead to more cases of corruption.

To promote better behaviour on the road, Pan Malaysian Bus Opera­tors Association president Datuk Ashfar Ali suggested more road safety education and enforcement.

“Increasing the fines will only lead to more chances to seek or offer bribes while failing to address the real goal, which is to reduce accidents and casualties,” he said yesterday.

Ashfar was commenting on the move to increase compound fines for traffic offences from RM300 to RM1,000 under the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill that was tabled for first reading in Parliament on Tuesday. Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri tabled the Bill and debate is scheduled for this week.

Pan Malaysian Lorry Owners Association president Er Sui See said the Government should stop offering offenders massive discounts on the fines.

“If the authorities keep having ‘cheap sale’ style discounts during every festive season, the offenders will keep paying, then continue to repeat their bad habits,” he said.

Like Ashraf, Er favoured more efficient enforcement, adding that the licences of repeat offenders should be suspended or even revoked.

Federal Territory and Selangor Taxi and Hired Car Association chief Datuk Aslah Abdullah said he did not agree with any move to impose a heavy penalty on all road users, with the intention to punish repeat offenders.

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http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?fi ... sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: The Road Transport (Amendment) Bill which proposes compound for traffic summonses to be increased from RM300 to RM1,000, will be withdrawn.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz confirmed that the bill, which had been tabled for first reading in Dewan Rakyat on Monday and scheduled to be debated in a day or two, will be withdrawn.

"The bill will be re-tabled in the Parliament meeting in June," he said, adding that he would have to explain to the Cabinet about the withdrawal of the bill, which has a total of 51 amendments.

Two other proposals - increasing the minimum age to apply for a motorcycle licence from 16 to 17 years and for only the Director-General of Road Transport to assign a number plate, will also be dropped.

He said the backbenchers had written to him on the three proposed amendments saying that they were "not people-friendly."

Nazri also said the RM1,000 proposed fine was deemed too harsh for the lower income group and the increase in mininum age of driving licence for motorcycle might affect students in rural areas, where motorcycle is their mode of transport to attend school.

The proposed amendment on car number plate to be assigned only by Road Transport may not be able to solve problems of forged number plate as well, he said.

Asked whether the u-turn on the bill was related to Hulu Selangor by-election, Nazri said it was not in his mind at all when he made the decision.

Backbenchers club deputy chairman Datuk Bung Moktar Radin said the MPs spent two days with Road Transport Department, Transport Ministry and other agencies to discuss about the proposed amendment.

He said discussions with them would continue in order to have a people-friendly bill.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also questioned the Government's move to increase the traffic offence fine from the present RM300 to RM1,000.

The Bagan MP added the authorities should have concentrated more on enforcement and education for motorists instead of imposing higher fines.

"This bill was hastily passed without proper discussion in Parliament.

"It should be withdrawn and brought to a select parliament committee for further discussion.

"The authorities should have looked into the problem of lack of enforcement instead of increasing the fines.

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http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?fi ... sec=nation