PUTRAJAYA, Oct 17 — The Road Transport Department (RTD) is firm on implementing the Automated Enforcement System (AES) to lower road accident and death rates by raising public awareness using the Perception of Being Caught (POBC).
In fact it was not aimed at imposing summonses and fines on road users or to profit the companies appointed to run the AES, as alleged by certain quarters, RTD said in a statement here today.
“Based on an international study, electronic enforcement implementation can reduce road accident fatalities from 17 per cent to 71 per cent and reduce the road accident rate by up to 40 per cent.
“As an example, France recorded a 27 per cent fall in road fatalities in three years after implementingthe AES. In Kuwait, it recorded a 48 per cent decrease in road accidents,” the statement said.
A Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) study found the implementation of AES in the country could raise the POBC to 75 per cent.
According to the statement, the total number of summons issued by RTD depended on the attitude of drivers and road users themselves.
“When they do not drive faster than the speed limit or beat a red light, a summons cannot be issued.
“As such, unreasonable calculation by certain parties claiming that 170 million summonses would be issued each year is therefore a lie.
“Actually various groups of society have welcomed the AES system including non-governmental organisations such as the Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) and the Malaysian Crime Prevention Federation (MCPF),” he said.
The government agreed to implement the AES project through outsourcong on the BOOT concept (Built, Operate, Own and Transfer) with a concession period of 66 months to two companies, AES Sdn Bhd which uses a German robotic technology and Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd which uses Australian technology.
Through the method, the cost of project development, operation and system maintenance would be fully borne by the implementing companies without any financial implications to the government, the statement added.
— BERNAMA
