Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing has suggested the Road Transport Department’s (JPJ) new Kejara system be tweaked again “to suit Sarawak better”.
Masing, who is also the state’s infrastructure development and transportation minister, suggested the penalty for drink driving be higher in Sarawak “where the majority of us are non-Muslims and drink”.
“I believe drunk driving is quite rampant.
“The present demerit points for DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol) are 15.
“As a result, we might as well propose that drivers caught driving under the influence of alcohol for a number of times, be taken off the road and suspended from driving for a certain period of time.”
For motorcyclists who are caught for not wearing helmet, Masing said instead of deducting “a mere two points”, they should get a heftier deduction of 10 instead.
He said if the motorcyclists do not care for their own safety, then the government is duty bound to enact laws that “will protect them from themselves”.
Masing also suggested the Ministry of Transport look at area based demerits, like punishing motorists that do not follow the speed limit of designated area like schools and hospitals, and install high definition camera “that can capture the drivers’ face as well” to reduce disputes and make Kejara “more implementable and effective”.
The Kejara system was rolled out on April 15.
Under the new system, offenders will be given incremental penalties for every 20 points picked up, which range from a warning to having their licences suspended under the new system. – dayakdaily.com
