AES: Box office & GE13 poison for the BN?

Have you really never sped?

All of us know that speeding could lead to serious road accidents that do not only result in casualties, but also traffic jams, causing the society to suffer serious economic losses.

However, humans are selfish and always believe that they would not be bad luck enough to involve in car accidents or receive speeding summonses.

To tell the truth, the Automated Enforcement System (AES) is not as useless as some people have said. A test conducted in the UK from 2000 to 2002 found that after speeding cameras were installed, the number of speeding vehicles had reduced by 67% and the number of traffic accidents also reduced by 65%.

Since the system is effective, why could we still see overwhelming reports on the AES controversy over the past few days? Why even the ruling and alternative coalition MPs have rarely "united" and opposed to the AES?

Some people proposed that the system should be suspended and re-assessed while some people suggested that the system should be immediately shelved and all summonses should be canceled. Members of the ruling and alternative coalitions are speaking with one voice because there are too many weaknesses in the AES implementation, as well as because the system is outsourced to private companies, triggering a law enforcement privatisation controversy, and a business-government collusion doubt.

The storm seems to have turned worse and it could evolve into a serious issue like the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal. The four Pakatan Rakyat state governments have decided to shelve the AES and PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar has called on AES summons receivers to ignore the summonses and contest in court. Selangor state government even declared AES summonses as illegal.

Chaotic BN

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha's explanation was too weak while MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek's promise to pay for those receiving a few AES summonses at once has not only failed to put out the fire, but further escalated the controversy.

The dispute has turned into a chaos while public anger has turned into public anger. It is an indisputable fact that the voice of opposing the system has become louder and the situation has turned chaotic.

A reader called and said that it is everyone's responsibility to reduce road accidents, causalities, injuries and losses. Both the ruling and alternative coalitions should suggest a better programme to replace the AES, instead of blindly opposing it just to gain votes.

He was right, the AES, however, seems to have become a box office poison due to its bad start. The alternative coalition will certainly continue to attack it and embarrassingly, even some ruling party MPs have kept a distance from it to avoid being embroiled.

Who would not bow for votes? It is what we called politics, as well as reality!

-Sin Chew Daily