SINGAPORE - Malaysian traffic police have collected 4,200 outstanding traffic fines from Singapore motorists in an operation that began on Friday. Most had been summoned for speeding.
Motorists with outstanding fines were nabbed at three locations in Johor Baru, the Bernama news agency reported on Sunday (June 14).
Since 2010, more than 700,000 outstanding summonses were issued for traffic offences involving foreign motorists including 500,000 from Singapore, the report said.
Singapore vehicles accounted for 37.4 per cent of the unsettled traffic summonses issued to non-Malaysians from 2000 to 2013, according to the Malaysian police.
To help Malaysian traffic police detect traffic offenders more efficiently, an Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system is expected to be operational by August.
Bukit Aman Traffic Police staff officer Superintendent (Supt) Zulkefly Yahya told Bernama news agency that under the first phase, ANPR scanners would be installed at nine entry points on the Malaysian border.
He said at least 20 scanners worth a total of RM30 million (S$10.8 million) will be used to track down traffic offenders in the first phase.
Other than detecting summons cases, Supt Zulkefly said the scanners would also allow police to detect cars used by criminals or stolen cars.
Singapore motorists who do not wish to be surprised by the traffic police when visiting Malaysia can check if they have any outstanding summons online.
Both Malaysian and foreign drivers can pay the fines through Malaysian government portals www.myeg.com.my and www.rilek.com.my.
The www.myeg.com.my portal also has a free service to remind registered users if they have incurred any new summons.
Drivers can also pay their fines at post offices and police stations in Malaysia.
Malaysian authorities have tightened checks on Singapore-registered cars that owe traffic fines across the Causeway. In an operation conducted between Dec 27 last year and Jan 1, several drivers were stopped by Malaysian police and asked to pay multiple traffic fines on the spot, a Straits Times report said.
