THERE is much discord over the government’s move to allow traffic offenders a 50 per cent discount on their summonses if they settle them within two weeks, and 30 per cent within a month.
Those with outstanding summonses were seen happily queuing up at traffic police payment counters to get that 50 per cent discount after the announcement was made.
Those who had dutifully and promptly paid their summonses before the announcement were fuming.
Some claimed that they felt cheated as they were among the ‘good guys’ who were prompt in their payments, and yet they had to pay the full amount, while those who had procrastinated or could not be bothered, will get away with paying less.
Apparently, the discount was given to clear backlogs of summonses before the authorities start to blacklist offenders.
There are law abiding road users who reckon that giving discounts on traffic summonses is not a good thing. According to them, it is practically saying “yes, you can commit an offence and who knows, if you’re lucky you may get a discount on your summons”.
It doesn’t encourage road users to practise safe and defensive driving. Summonses should not be treated like ‘lelong’ items and be taken lightly.
Some are of the opinion that road users should be given ample time to settle their summonses, considering that there are some who really cannot meet the deadline due to work and travel commitments or financial difficulties.
Should these be excuses for an extended deadline or discounts?
A friend of the Eye argues that the reason summonses or fines are put in place is basically to discourage road users from obstructive, reckless and dangerous behaviour on the road.
“If summonses were to be treated like negotiable or pasar malam bargain items, then it would defeat the whole idea of having summonses in place. If there were valid reasons for not being able to pay up on time, then the offender should make the effort to prove that he wasn’t able to meet the deadline by providing some form of proof.”
The real problem with offenders not paying up their summonses on time really lies in their attitudes, reckons another friend.
To this friend, the ‘tidak apa’ attitude has become part of the local culture. People still drive around like they own the roads even if they are blacklisted. They assume that they are invincible and as long as they do not commit another offence, they can easily get away with it.
Summonses do not really hold weight with most road users, especially in smaller towns where people assume (and they are mainly correct) enforcement is lax.
It also does not help the severity of summonses when you have stories of how one can settle with ‘kopi-o’ when one is approached for a traffic offence.
When the government made the announcement on the discounts, it was also stated that this would be the last time that summonses would be given discounts. Discounts on traffic summonses were also given in 2005 and 2008.
Whether the government sticks to its stand on this being the final discount on traffic summonses or otherwise, only time will tell.
But yes, the law abiding road users are spot on — summonses should not be treated like ‘bargain’ items if their implementation is to actually carry weight.