
NST Leader: Unpaid traffic summonses
Malaysian vehicle owners particularly resent paying traffic summonses for illegal parking, unless forced by police action.
Motorists tend to view summonses in three informal categories. First, local council tickets are often ignored due to their perceived lack of enforcement power.
Second, traffic police summonses have more legal weight, as non-payment can lead to arrest warrants.
Still, many ignore them, especially for illegal parking.
RTD summonses, however, are usually taken seriously, as they block road tax and licence renewals until the summonses are paid.
Even then, the most stubborn ignore police and RTD's annual flat rate amnesty offers. RTD said that it collected only RM56 million from 374,024 summonses, far below the potential amount, which could have been double or triple that amount.
This suggests that many drivers aren't deterred by blacklisting — they continue driving without insurance, road tax or licences.
The police discount, valid until June 30, offers a flat RM150 rate for speeding and traffic light violations — similar to RTD's offer. Here lies the problem.
Motorists' blase attitude towards these offers reflects a contempt for traffic laws and penalties. This contempt has translated into more serious traffic offences, and more tragic accidents.
Since the discounts don't improve road safety, it's time to scrap them and revive tougher penalties that deter offenders. Sure, that would mean more officers and working hours to round up offenders.
Police may have to return to making "house calls" on offenders but it's a necessary price to forcibly change an entrenched mindset.
There is a plausible solution: integrate data sharing between the traffic police, RTD, Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and, while we are at it, the local councils.
Under this integration, summonses imposed by traffic police and local councils are automatically recorded by the RTD and SPAD, which immediately blacklist drivers and vehicles with outstanding summonses.
Alas, this may not happen in the near future because these agencies and their processes operate independently with little push to exchange data and information.
Even when traffic police files a request to the RTD to blacklist certain offenders, the process is tedious and inefficient.
Still, this logical and unified system isn't sidelined just yet: there are still efforts to combine the Automated Awareness Safety System, the Automated Enforcement System and the Kejara points demerit system.
There's only one problem: this initiative had been lumbering for more than a decade and it is still lumbering.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
Wang Kelian: Rights Body Demands Justice, System Reform
GEORGE TOWN: Nearly a decade after the discovery of mass graves in Wang Kelian shocked the nation, the Human Rights Commission has warned that systemic weaknesses continue to undermine the country's anti-trafficking efforts. Its vice-chairman Tengku Mohamed Fauzi Tengku Abdul Hamid described Malaysia's unresolved institutional failures as a source of human suffering and urged concrete action. 'The souls buried in Wang Kelian cry not just for remembrance, but also for accountability,' he said during a keynote address at the launch of Mass Graves, a book by veteran journalist Datuk Arulldas Sinnappan documenting the 2015 tragedy. The book chronicles the discovery of 139 graves across 28 abandoned human trafficking camps near the Malaysia–Thailand border in Perlis. Each grave was believed to contain three to four bodies, many wrapped in white cloth in accordance with Muslim burial traditions. Victims were reportedly starved and tortured. Arulldas, who uncovered the graves after a tip-off, details the discovery of remains believed to belong to Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals trafficked and held in jungle camps. A Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) held in 2019 found evidence of serious negligence in border monitoring but did not implicate any Malaysian officials in trafficking operations. The report was initially classified under the Official Secrets Act, with limited sections made public in 2022 before being taken down. The RCI confirmed that Malaysian authorities located the trafficking camps in January 2015, but exhumation and public disclosure only occurred in May. During that gap, a senior police officer allegedly ordered the site destroyed, raising concerns about obstruction of justice. Still, the RCI concluded there was no proof of enforcement or civil servant involvement, a finding still questioned by rights groups. While Tengku Mohamed Fauzi did not directly dispute the RCI's findings, he stressed that impunity and inaction remain pressing issues. He highlighted the joint commission–Fortify Rights report 'Sold Like Fish', which described the 2012-2015 crimes as a 'widespread and systematic attack on civilian populations' and possibly crimes against humanity under international law. 'Survivors were forced to pay up to RM7,000 for their release or face torture, or death. Eyewitnesses reported complicity by officials in transporting Rohingya captives from state custody directly into the hands of traffickers,' he said. Beyond Wang Kelian, the commission has continued to receive fresh complaints. From 2020 to 2024, 22 trafficking-related reports were lodged. Victims, including women, were deceived into working in entertainment venues, while children were forced into plantation labour. Although improvements have been made – such as the development of shelter standard operating procedures, educational programmes for children, and strengthened grassroots enforcement in Sabah and Sarawak – Tengku Mohamed Fauzi highlighted persistent structural problems. He noted ongoing challenges, including language barriers in detention centres, a shortage of medical personnel in shelters and understaffing in the Labour Department. It recommended assigning medical officers to all shelters to provide health screenings and basic care. It also urged the government to boost staffing at the Labour Department to improve enforcement in rural sectors such as plantations and factories. Under Section 4(2)(d) of the Human Rights Commission Act, the commission is empowered to carry out both routine and complaint-based inspections of detention centres, shelters, plantations and factories. These visits include interviews with detainees and reviews of healthcare services, infrastructure, and inter-agency coordination. Tengku Mohamed Fauzi also called for detention centres to comply with the United Nations' Mandela Rules, which set minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners. 'Let us ensure that Malaysia does not become a silent witness to impunity. Let us be a nation that confronts its past with honesty and forges a future where human dignity is upheld for all.'
![[Watch] 'You Can Be From China, I'm From London' – ‘Puan Sri' Parks In Neighbour's House, Meltdown Goes Viral](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.therakyatpost.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2FUntitled.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Watch] 'You Can Be From China, I'm From London' – ‘Puan Sri' Parks In Neighbour's House, Meltdown Goes Viral](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ftherakyatpost.com.png&w=48&q=75)
Rakyat Post
14 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
[Watch] 'You Can Be From China, I'm From London' – ‘Puan Sri' Parks In Neighbour's House, Meltdown Goes Viral
Subscribe to our FREE A parking dispute in what appears to be an upscale Malaysian residential area has garnered widespread attention on social media, involving an elderly woman who identifies herself as a Puan Sri, whose husband holds the title of Datuk Seri. The incident appears to have begun when the woman had already escalated the matter to the authorities, mentioning about uneducated people and getting out of the house. She was allegedly heard speaking to a sergeant, asking when he could come to take a statement, requesting that the police check on her neighbour, and asking the neighbour to produce a wedding certificate. The connection between marital documentation and parking disputes remains unclear from the available information. She also mentioned referring the matter to Bukit Aman – Malaysia's federal police headquarters. The dispute centred around the woman allegedly parking her car on the neighbour's porch. The Diplomatic Phase (Before It All Went South) When asked to relocate the vehicle, the woman seemed to decline, saying she knew her neighbour's house. Adding another layer of complexity to the situation, she allegedly claimed she couldn't start her car properly and needed someone to come and help. However, it is unclear from the available accounts whether this was due to mechanical issues or other factors. During the exchange with her neighbour, the woman attempted to maintain a cordial tone, saying, 'Don't worry, we are good neighbours, not fighting type of neighbours.' On the other hand, she asked the neighbour to lodge a police report when she was repeatedly told to move her car, which baffled the latter. The Logic Train Derails The woman then claimed the neighbour didn't talk to her nicely, which the neighbour disputed. She then acknowledged that the neighbour had spoken politely, but expressed displeasure about 'intruders come and talk to me.' At this point, she emphasised her status: 'I got a title, my husband got a title, we are not loafers, so I can park four cars in my house.' When the neighbour suggested she park there instead, the woman responded by telling the neighbour not to take video, adding, 'You can be from China, I'm from London.' 'I Am Puan Sri!' – The Battle Cry Heard Round the Internet In what appears to be a separate encounter (evidenced by the woman wearing different clothing), the neighbour asked her not to disturb their workers. The woman responded that it didn't matter whether they were workers or not, instructing the neighbour to 'make sure you have paid the maintenance fee according to our management, please pay to be our resident here.' Despite initially expressing a preference for maintaining good neighbourly relations, when the neighbour politely stated, 'Please, you can go back to your home, this is my home,' the situation escalated dramatically. The woman became agitated about being recorded, asking why the neighbour was taking video. When told 'because you keep coming to my house,' she exploded further, shouting 'am I a convict?' and declaring 'I'm a Puan Sri and I got a title of Datuk Seri here, you know that, you don't have' while pointing at the neighbour. The neighbour calmly responded, 'This is my property,' prompting her to demand, 'Ask who you are first,' before defiantly telling the neighbour she didn't 'give a damn' if the neighbour called the police and the cops can 'come to her house.' The situation escalated beyond the immediate dispute when the woman was heard speaking to what appeared to be security personnel, asking them to verify whether her neighbour had a passport, thereby bringing citizenship documentation into what had begun as a parking disagreement. The Digital Crowd Reacts Social media users didn't hold back: 'You can be from China, I'm from London 😂' – because apparently international origins are now part of parking negotiations. One user quipped: 'She missed her medicine…….. right?' – ouch. The practical crowd chimed in too: 'If I were the homeowner, I'd just call the police and report a suspicious car parked in front of my house. Police would arrive quickly 😁' And the towing company representatives were ready for business: 'Too troublesome dealing with people like this 😂 just call TOWING to remove the car far away.. let's see how big her Tan Sri really is.' kereta sendiri parking dalam rumah orang. lepas tu, gigih melawan fakta. Puan Sri gila teruk sangat dah ni. — Ahmad Nazneen (@ahmadnazneen2) When Parking Wars Go Viral Look, we've all had parking disputes. Most of us just grumble, take a photo for evidence, and maybe passive-aggressively park a little too close next time. But when disputes escalate to involve claims about titles, international origins, and demands for documentation like wedding certificates, it enters a different realm of neighbourhood drama altogether. The incident highlights how everyday disputes can quickly escalate in today's social media landscape. It often leads to broader conversations about social dynamics, expectations of respect and authority, and the differing approaches to conflict resolution in residential communities. READ MORE : READ MORE : READ MORE : Disclaimer: This report is based on social media posts and user comments from what appears to be one side of the story. We cannot independently verify all claims made in the viral content, nor do we suggest who is at fault in this dispute. This coverage is intended to document the social media phenomenon and public reaction, not to make judgments about the individuals involved. As with all viral content, there may be additional context or perspectives not captured in the available material. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.


New Straits Times
15 hours ago
- New Straits Times
NST Leader: Unpaid traffic summonses
Malaysian vehicle owners particularly resent paying traffic summonses for illegal parking, unless forced by police action. Motorists tend to view summonses in three informal categories. First, local council tickets are often ignored due to their perceived lack of enforcement power. Second, traffic police summonses have more legal weight, as non-payment can lead to arrest warrants. Still, many ignore them, especially for illegal parking. RTD summonses, however, are usually taken seriously, as they block road tax and licence renewals until the summonses are paid. Even then, the most stubborn ignore police and RTD's annual flat rate amnesty offers. RTD said that it collected only RM56 million from 374,024 summonses, far below the potential amount, which could have been double or triple that amount. This suggests that many drivers aren't deterred by blacklisting — they continue driving without insurance, road tax or licences. The police discount, valid until June 30, offers a flat RM150 rate for speeding and traffic light violations — similar to RTD's offer. Here lies the problem. Motorists' blase attitude towards these offers reflects a contempt for traffic laws and penalties. This contempt has translated into more serious traffic offences, and more tragic accidents. Since the discounts don't improve road safety, it's time to scrap them and revive tougher penalties that deter offenders. Sure, that would mean more officers and working hours to round up offenders. Police may have to return to making "house calls" on offenders but it's a necessary price to forcibly change an entrenched mindset. There is a plausible solution: integrate data sharing between the traffic police, RTD, Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and, while we are at it, the local councils. Under this integration, summonses imposed by traffic police and local councils are automatically recorded by the RTD and SPAD, which immediately blacklist drivers and vehicles with outstanding summonses. Alas, this may not happen in the near future because these agencies and their processes operate independently with little push to exchange data and information. Even when traffic police files a request to the RTD to blacklist certain offenders, the process is tedious and inefficient. Still, this logical and unified system isn't sidelined just yet: there are still efforts to combine the Automated Awareness Safety System, the Automated Enforcement System and the Kejara points demerit system. There's only one problem: this initiative had been lumbering for more than a decade and it is still lumbering.