Recently, the Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that the KEJARA driving license demerit points system needs to overhauled. He also added that the system is not working as it was intended to.
For the uninitiated, KEJARA (Keselamatan Jalan Raya) is a Demerit Points System implemented in 1984 under the Motor Vehicles (Demerit Points) Rules 1997. It is designed to improve road safety by assigning demerit points to motorists found guilty of traffic offenses. Points are issued based on traffic compounds or convictions recorded by the Road Transport Department (JPJ), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), or Magistrate Courts.
In the system the demerit points are accumulated and If a motorist accumulates the first 20 points warning will be given and for the next 20 points suspension will be given between six and twelve months. However, for the next 20 minutes the motorist has the possibility of losing their driving license. This demerit system is usually taken seriously when the motorist is under probation for two years before acquiring their full driving license.
However, Loke pointed out that the problem with the demerit points is that it is deducted for an offence only after the summons are settled rather than the points being demerited for issuing the summons. “This overhaul is aimed at addressing the current loophole, where many drivers avoid penalties simply by not settling their fines,” added the transport minister said.
(Source: Paultan.org / JPJ official website)
