The authorities have been urged to lower traffic fines rather than the current practice of having occasional discounts.

DAP vice-chairperson M Kulasegaran said that this will ensure that all everyone, particularly those who pay their fines promptly, are treated fairly.

He said the authorities excuse that the discounts offered were to clear backlogs was not acceptable.

ipoh traffic summonses 071210 “Such a policy has always caused huge disappointment to traffic offenders who have made prompt payments.

“There is also concern that such policy will encourage future offenders to adopt a wait and see attitude to enjoy discounts and possibly trigger a bigger backlog of unpaid fines,” said he said.

He adds that the occasional discounts that were offered had sent the wrong message that traffic fines were a “bargain-able” product.

Kulasegaran said this during a press conference outside the Ipoh traffic police headquarters. He was accompanied by DAP colleagues such as Batu Gaja MP Fong Po Kuan, Pasir Pinji state assemblyperson Thomas Su, Jalong state assemblyperson Leong Mee Meng and Teja state assemblyperson Chang Lih Kang, who is from PKR.

They are voicing concern over the ongoing drive to encourage traffic offenders to settle their traffic fines at a 50 percent discount by Dec 15 before they are blacklisted.

Offenders claims they were unaware

Echoing Kulasegaran, Chang said that a reduction in traffic fines was logical considering that the working class are unable to pay their traffic fines in a lump-sum, hence the backlog.

Other Pakatan Rakyat leaders present all said that the accumulated traffic fines can burden the poor, adding that among themselves, they have accumulated between five to 21 traffic fines each.

ipoh traffic summonses 071210 Several people who paid their supposes today complained that traffic fines were sent to their homes arrived late and they were unable to verify the authenticity of the accusations.

Businessman G Murali ( left ), 47, said that he took advantage of the discounts offered and paid RM5,570 in fines today for traffic offences from 2006 to 2010.

He said that he has to travel from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur regularly and sometimes his business takes him as far as Johor and he was not able keep track of his alleged traffic offences.

ipoh traffic summonses 071210 He said that he was not informed of several alleged offences and was only informed that he had traffic fines arrears when he attempted to renew his road tax.

Similarly, two others Cheong Thiam Nam, 62, and Roshida Abd Malik ( right ), 47, told reporters that they were unaware of some of their traffic fines until they tried to renew their road tax.

Despite the ambiguity, Cheong said that he would give the authorities a benefit of a doubt.