The Road Transport Department (RTD) will not act against offenders involved in traffic violations under the jurisdiction of local authorities without solid evidence, stressed its director-general Solah Mat Hassan.

He said the local authorities must furnish full details such as name, address, nature and time of offence to the RTD.

"We cannot simply blacklist any vehicle or motorist," he told reporters after attending the ‘One Community, One RTD’ programme at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Purun in Bera  near Raub today.

According to him, RTD was in discussions with the local authorities in the country to upgrade its enforcement of traffic laws.

In this regard, RTD has held discussions with 74 of the 154 local authorities throughout the country and will also be holding talks with Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Putrajaya Corporation on Monday, he said.

"LAs (local authorities) have requested for our cooperation in blacklisting road users who

ignored their summonses," he disclosed.

17 died of road accidents everyday

In another development, Sola said RTD was in the final stage of discussion with the Education Department on the issuance of motorcycle licences in batches to secondary schools students aged 17 and above.

Meanwhile, Solah said the number of deaths in Malaysia due to road accidents last year averaged 17 daily.

Motorcyclists and pillion riders were the major fatalities.

The number of road deaths throughout the country last year totaled 6,218 deaths from 397,330 accidents.

"The trend is still worrying," he said, adding that Pahang recorded 17,315 cases last year with 574 deaths.

- Bernama