Talkback Thursday: Do you think the proposal to make traffic offenders pay their fines on the spot will be effective in curbing traffic offences?

A special commission to study the transformation of the civil service said unpaid summonses amounted to millions of ringgit.

As reported in The Star , a special commission to study the transformation of the civil service have submitted a proposal to the government that recommends that motorists and motorcyclists who commit traffic offences will have to settle their summonses on the spot or have their vehicles impounded.

The commission reported that unpaid summonses amounted to “millions of ringgit”, although it did not specify whether it was hundreds of million or just more than one million.

The Commussion chairman, former chief justice Tun Zaki Azmi said that according to the various road transport authorities, there are hundreds of thousands of unpaid summonses – again, no specific numbers were shared – just hundreds of thousands.

He added that: “Many errant motorists who failed to settle their fines have escaped warrants of arrest. We want to strengthen the enforcement.”

It is interesting that such an insight would come from a former chief justice.

He cited speeding and beating the red light as among the most common traffic offences, and also called for action against “inconsiderate parking”.

Motorists who parked carelessly should have their vehicles clamped or towed away, he said.

It was reported that Cuepacs president Datuk Omar Osman supported the idea, along with Transport Ministry, Land Public Transport Commission, Road Transport Department, Works Ministry, and Domestic Trade, Co  operatives and Consumerism Ministry.

Cuepecs President Omar urged the 1.4 million civil servants and more than 500,000 pensioners to set an example as responsible road users.

Zaki said the commission hoped that the proposal would be implemented as soon as possible with Hari Raya around the corner.