Saman ekor not fair

Below is my Letter to Editor in the Star 11 Aug 2010. Another version also appeared in NST on the same date.

You can try my tips on how to avoid saman ekor, but don't blame me if you get caught hehe...

Also, for those who have a lot of saman ekor, if the saman ekor system is abolished because of my tips, maybe you should thank me and give 10% of the total amount of your fines to me... LOL

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The Star, Wednesday August 11, 2010

Saman ekor not fair

I REFER to your report “Saman ekor blacklist decision after next week” (The Star, Aug 8). Many people have expressed their views on “saman ekor” and I am glad a high-level meeting involving relevant agencies will take place this week as announced. I wish to give some suggestions for consideration by the authorities.

It is obvious that issuing tonnes of saman ekor have not been an effective deterrent for many reasons. One of the reasons is that the real culprits can easily alter their plate numbers to escape the summonses, at the expense of innocent people.

Just for example, with just a piece of black tape, you can change E into F, B into P, U into J, 4 into 1 and 8 into 3. You can use a white tape if you want it the other way around or add 1 at the end, or simply stick wet, white tissue to the plate numbers to make them unreadable. Go as fast as you want on the highway, and take the tape or the tissue off when you exit, and you are on your way without any trouble.

It is also clear that most people perceive the blacklisting as unfair because they are unable to defend themselves but have to pay the fines anyway in order to renew the road tax. Going to court to challenge the summonses would be useless because they would be without the road tax for at least a few months before their cases are heard.

I suggest that instead of an outright blacklisting, car owners be allowed to renew their road tax, but be served with the summonses at JPJ, for which they must sign acceptance. This will give them time to dispute the summonses, failing which they have to settle them or risk being arrested and have their driving licences suspended.

As a deterrent for real offenders, I suggest higher fines and demerit points be imposed. The fines and demerit points should be progressively higher for repeat offenders.

Some countries like the US and UK even impose a few week’s jail sentences for extreme speeders and drunk drivers, and the errant drivers are banned from driving for a few years.

In Finland, where the fine for speeding is relative to the offender’s last known income, Jussi Salonoja of Helsinki was fined a record 170,000 euros in 2003 for driving 80km/h in 40 km/h zone.

I believe it is not the number of summonses issued that is important for the Government to fight traffic violations. Stiffer penalties on indisputable summonses should be the deterrent. It’s time we show the real offenders that we mean business.

A. HASHIM,
Sungai Petani.