Saman ekor must continue

TS,Sunday August 15, 2010

I REFER to the letter “Saman ekor not fair,” (The Star, Aug 11) and wish to offer some 

suggestions which the authorities may want to consider.

It is a fact that even motorists who drive normally to keep up with traffic flow may inadvertently commit a traffic offence as the existing rules and regulations are easily breached. A good example is driving along Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur. On a clear stretch, most vehicles would clearly exceed the 50kph speed limit.If enforcement is carried out stringently and with more static cameras installed, the number of saman ekor would go up from a million a year to millions. Is this what we want? Rules and regulations should be reviewed when the majority of motorists are violating them. It is better to introduce deterrent measures rather than wait for motorists to commit offences and then nail them.On this score, static cameras have failed miserably as they are often unnoticed. Even when spotted, they may look unconvincing and there is no way of knowing whether they are functioning.Instead, I propose that camera crews be engaged and stationed at strategic spots to record violations. Crew members should don bright uniforms and always be in full view of the public. Those caught on camera will be the hardcore violators who have to bear the full brunt of the law. It will bring cheer to many motorists when they see inconsiderate drivers who insist on choking up the yellow box or jumping queue being brought to book. Motorists who obediently stick to their lanes during the balik kampung exodus will finally get to see those who gleefully use the emergency lanes being caught on camera. There will be no shortage of organisations willing to invest in this privatised surveillance business and the Government can save millions of ringgit instead of buying, installing and operating static cameras. These private organisations are bound to be efficient but it will be up to the authorities to decide whether a summons is to be issued based on the video evidence submitted. These notifications, together with the photographs, must be mailed within a short period, say a month of the offence and posted on a website for easy access to the public. It is widely accepted that saman ekor must be continued to ensure law and order on our roads at all times. However, the glaring weakness of the system needs to be rectified. It can be accelerated with private sector participation. We can also look forward to a cleaner environment if these camera crews are also commissioned by other enforcement agencies to record smoky vehicles and illegal dumping. Their presence can deter many from committing street crimes.

YS Chan

Kuala Lumpur