Drivers, Beware: The Awas System Is Now In Effect!

The Star Online reports that the Automated Awareness Safety System (Awas) is officially in effect.

Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Nadzri Siron told the news portal that Awas - which is an integrated traffic system consisting of the Demerit Points System (Kejara) and Automated Enforcement System (AES) cameras - is aimed at busting habitual traffic offenders.

The system, according to Nadzri, would fully ultilise all 14 AES cameras nationwide.

“This is still the initial stage of the project and we want to focus on advocacy. For now, the system will only include two offences for the Kejara system – speeding and running the red light,” he was quoted as saying, adding that JPJ is expected to install more cameras as well as include other offences by the end of the year.

Under the Awas system, traffic offenders will not only get a RM150 fine, but they could also have their driver's license suspended or worse, revoked.

Nadzri also told the news portal that JPJ has updated their system to handle Awas, so yeah, it's really happening.

What is the Kejara Points System?

You know the points you collect every time you swipe your credit card (or your Bonuslink card), and the points get deducted every time you redeem something?

Well, the Kejara points system is very similar to that - except you don't get to accumulate points or get any freebies.

Under the new Awas system, every driver in Malaysia will get 20 points each and points will be deducted every time they commit a traffic offence.

Once a driver has all of his points deducted, he will have his driver's license suspended six months for the first offence, 12 months for the second offence and a revocation of his license on the third offence.

If the driver is caught operating a vehicle while he's serving his suspension, he will be fined RM1,000 and/or get a six-month prison sentence.

Yikes!