No discounts will be given to offenders keen on paying off their Road Transport Department (JPJ) fines.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said his ministry decided on this policy in 2018 when he was first appointed minister.
“Why did we decide on that? If anyone remembers, I cancelled over four million AES (automated enforcement system) summons in 2018.
“People welcomed the move at the time, but I stated that it was a one-off and would not be a precedent.
“If we collected the (cancelled) summons, it would have amounted to over RM600 million in government revenue. But the government wrote it off,” Loke (above) told reporters at the Madani anniversary event at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium today.
Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that some patrons at the event were unhappy upon finding out JPJ was not offering discounts at the event.
There were 102 government services on offer at the three-day event, including a 50 percent discount on traffic fines issued by the police.
However, some media organisations reported that JPJ was offering discounts at the event as well, which was not true.
Following yesterday’s uproar, Loke said a meeting was held with ministry and JPJ officials to respond to the situation.
Meant to educate
Loke said, however, that JPJ insisted on not compromising by giving discounts.
“Summons are meant to educate (the public) but if we give discounts, it is as though the offences can be compromised.
“We have obtained feedback from the public that if the ministry gives discounts, it would be unfair to those who pay at the stipulated time or earlier,” he said.
Loke added that he could not comment on other agencies, such as the police, as they may have other considerations.
“However, to those who hope for JPJ discounts, I apologise.
“But we (the ministry) have done other programmes such as giving out free helmets as one way for us to help,” he said.
He earlier announced that the ministry would be distributing an additional 2,000 helmets at the Madani event tomorrow. - Mkini
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