>Police plan year-round surveillance and $130 on-the-spot fine
BE extra careful when you're driving in Malaysia.
By early next year, speed trap cameras will be placed at the accident-prone areas throughout Malaysia, and will be operational round-the-clock.
Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh said on Wednesday that the decision was made after looking into the effectiveness of Ops Sikap, reported the New Straits Times (NST).
Ops Sikap is the seasonal traffic operation to check reckless driving.
With this new decision, the RM300 ($130) on-the-spot fine for offences such as speeding, changing lanes dangerously and using emergency lanes will also be imposed permanently.
Datuk Suret said that the number of fatalities had dropped during the festive seasons, when Ops Sikap was in operation.
"It is estimated that the average daily road deaths of 17 people nationwide dropped to 13 or 14 people during Ops Sikap.
"This is probably because drivers are more careful as the chances of getting caught for the road offences are much higher," he said.
ANNUAL OPERATION
Datuk Suret added that since the operation had worked, they had thus decided to carry out Ops Sikap throughout the year.
It was reported that additional manpower will be added in the police force and Road Transport Department.
"About 1,500 speed trap cameras will be installed by March next year. Electronic cameras will also be placed at various accident-prone areas," said Datuk Suret.
NST reported that the cameras will zoom into the vehicle number plate and a summons will be issued to the driver thereafter.
Ops Sikap includes checking the condition of express buses and drivers before they depart from bus stations.
Datuk Suret said: "The crackdown on express buses had been good since it started in August. Between 8 to 22 Nov, there were no fatal accidents involving buses."
Other than enforcement, a community-based programme for housewives, retirees and those in between jobs had also been launched by the Road Safety Department.
These strategies are to reduce Malaysia's present road fatality rate from 6,000 yearly to 2,000.
